


Love in the Time of Turbulence

by Epicocity



Series: The Ancienverse [5]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-03 23:56:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 150,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14007636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Epicocity/pseuds/Epicocity
Summary: Ancienverse Book Two. Ash, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie arrive in Nova Town to an unanticipated reunion. However, Ash finds himself contemplating both his new relationship with Serena and the depths to which a new foe will go…even if it puts the entire world at risk. Amourshipping.Posted on fanfiction.net.





	1. A Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome! Or welcome back, I suppose! In any case, whether you're new readers or older ones, I'm happy to see you reading. This is it: a (hopefully) long-awaited sequel to "Love in the Time of Teamwork"! I know at the time I said I didn't have plans…I lie to myself. Anyway, that aside, I'll see you at the bottom.
> 
> NOTE: As this is a sequel to "Love in the Time of Teamwork", I suggest you read (and review) that story (and its follow-up oneshots) before coming here. There are quite a few OCs in here from that story that factor prominently. That said, this story also takes place between XYZ 29 and XYZ 30.
> 
> Author: Epicocity
> 
> Rating: T for violence and darker themes
> 
> Pairings: Amourshipping, of course! Also, Laserbladeshipping
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Of course I don't own Pokémon. Why would one even ask that?

**Love in the Time of Turbulence**

An Amourshipping Pokémon Sequel

Chapter 1  
  
A Reunion

"Can I take a look? Pleeeeease?"

Serena looked up from her tablet, a soft smile washing across her face. Ahead of her were two people, walking a little quicker than usual. Tucking her honey blonde hair behind her ears, her gaze turned backward momentarily to see Clemont, one of her very best friends, huffing and puffing to catch up. He had almost closed the gap between the two of them. Seeing that, she turned her attention back to the other two at the front of the group. Bonnie was bouncing up and down, showing her age and status as the little sister of the group. Meanwhile, Ash was rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment as he reached into his bag to pull out a case.

"They're all so shiny…" Bonnie cooed to the trainer. Dedenne hopped from her bag and onto the case that Ash was holding. His weight seemed to make Ash's arm drop a little but he still held onto the case. It was no surprise, really. Serena knew her boyfriend well enough to know that he would  _never_  let go of that case. It was too precious to him. "You finally got them all!"

"Yeah, I did," Ash said. His tone was surprisingly mellow for someone who had just recently won his eighth badge and was granted permission to enter the Kalos League. To that thought, Serena's smile dropped just a little. It was no surprise that he was so lax about his eighth badge, despite being after it for so long; despite it being his key to the League. He had been broken…to the point that he'd even brushed her off, after they'd promised to share everything with each other as boyfriend and girlfriend.

"Boyfriend". Such a familiar, and yet foreign, term. That, yet again, brought a great smile to Serena's face. Had it been two months ago, before the Kalos Team Tournament and the subsequent situation in Ancien, she would have said it was impossible for her to confess her feelings for Ash. Then it had all happened, and their relationship changed. She said "I love you" out loud to the person she loved more than anything…and he reciprocated. It was like something out of a dream or a fairy tale, except that it wasn't. That was enough to make her heart nearly burst, and when he was happy, she was beyond happy.

But when he was broken, her heart crumbled into little pieces.

Thankfully, he had bounced back. Ash was still as enthusiastic about taking on the Kalos League as he ever was, but there was a different air about him. It was a little more mature. More determined. Well, Serena wasn't sure exactly which words to use to describe Ash's newfound attitude. However, she did notice something different in his interactions with her.

Ever since they'd started dating, Ash would always offer to hold her hand (which hadn't changed), or open the door for her, and, most significantly, had started to ask for her help in training. After his victory in the Snowbelle Gym, that last part just stopped. It was like he was afraid of something. Serena wasn't sure what was on his mind, but his general enthusiasm was all she needed to know he was okay…even if he was more alert to an ornery Beedrill or Ursaring waiting in the wings to attack. He would often finish any attack on them with a single Thunderbolt (or some other attack if he wanted his other Pokémon to have the experience). It was a comfort…and a bit of a frustration, but again, it kept Ash happy in his battles, so Serena let it pass.

"Serena…" Clemont's whining voice reached her as he finally trudged up to her level. Ash turned his head back, offering Serena a small smile that still made her heart soar and her cheeks flush, before putting his badge case away. Feeling elated at Ash's smile, Serena turned back towards Clemont. "Are we almost to the next town? I could use a rest…"

"You're so slow, Clemont," Bonnie called back in a singsong voice, skipping even further ahead of Ash. Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder to go and frolic with her. As she did so, Ash seemed to slow down a bit and Serena and Clemont approached him. Serena took this moment to peruse the map function of her tablet.

"Yeah, it's just past this forest," Serena answered as Ash drew next to her and took her hand. She enjoyed the warmth it brought, but kept her attention on her tablet as Ash read the location name out loud.

"Nova Town…" he said, a curious look on his face. "Wonder what it's like!"

"Looks old," Clemont commented, squeezing his own face in to look at the tablet. Serena frowned and lifted her hands, disengaging from Ash's and pushed both of the boys' faces away from her. Ash grinned sheepishly. "Well, I guess we'll see when we get there. Hope the Pokémon Center has rooms available."

"Let's have a battle when we get there, Clemont," Ash proclaimed, walking around Serena to throw an arm around him. Clemont nodded and threw his gaze forward to make sure Bonnie wasn't gamboling too far ahead. As the boys began to discuss their now upcoming battle, Serena made to shut her tablet when a little notice in the corner took her eye. Realizing that everyone else was rather occupied, Serena clicked on it and an article appeared.

REGIONAL LEADERS TO MEET IN LEAGUE SUMMIT AT UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

"Huh?" Serena remarked, once more drawing the attention of Clemont. Ash, meanwhile, had slipped past her with a brush of their hands to go and rein in Bonnie, who now looked to be wandering with an inquisitive Dedenne.

"What's up, Serena?" Clemont asked, turning his gaze to her. She didn't notice for a moment, too busy perusing the article underneath.

"Looks like the Pokémon League is holding some kind of summit," she finally commented after finishing the article. It had mentioned a few things, like the summit being organized by Charles Goodshow, president of the Pokémon league, and multiple Champions and Elite Four members attending, such as Diantha. However, it didn't seem to mention just what they were meeting about or where.

"Well, that makes sense," Clemont explained after Serena had explained this all to him. "As many top trainers and big public figures, it would make sense not to reveal the location. That could invite all sorts of reporters and trouble."

"I get that," Serena pointed out. She, herself, had more than her fair share of fans (as she and Ash had learned to their detriment on their first date) so she could imagine that bringing together so many high profile figures would draw a lot of attention. "But why do you think they could be meeting? I've never heard of anything like this, though I've hardly paid attention to any news before the journey."

"Who knows?" Clemont agreed with a shrug. "Could be about that group that was after Squishy that we met before…or maybe even the Ancien Debacle."

The Ancien Debacle. She forgot that was what they had called what had happened after the Kalos Team Tournament. It was a little ironic, the honey-blonde realized, because none of those trainers that were involved in the struggle considered it a debacle. The KTT was meant to be an event that enforced the bonds between Pokémon and other trainers. The "debacle" had done just that; trainers that had been at each other's throats the five days before were working together to take on two threats much greater than any of them. More than that, they succeeded, even if only barely, and they became friends in the process. It was really just the reporters that had called it the "Ancien Debacle", likely because of the destruction of infrastructure and how unexpected Zinnia's attack had been at such a major event.

Of course, getting together with Ash was another reason she didn't consider it a debacle.

"Hey, guys, I think I see it!" Ash called loudly. He and Bonnie had stopped, bathed in sunlight. Serena snapped her tablet shut, deciding to ignore the interesting article and dashed forward to catch up to the two. Clemont huffed after her and before long, the quartet had arrived at the edge of Nova Town.

"Wow…" Bonnie breathed out. Serena shared the sentiment.

Sprawling before them, at eye's level was Nova Town. It wasn't as fancy as some of the other cities and towns they had come across, but just a single glance told Serena that it had a personality all its own. The houses were older looking, some of stone and some of brick or wood, but lying before them was a tremendous stone archway, like a gate almost, that gave way to a paved road of cobbled stones traveling inward. Ash smiled wide and started in to the town. Serena was right at his side, gazing and marveling at the buildings before her with their dull-colored and classical roofs. It felt like a quaint little town, and Serena could see what was akin to a marketplace at the center with a beautiful fountain, decorated with Pokémon.

"This place is so cool…" Bonnie remarked in admiration.

"It's quite lovely," Serena agreed. She could imagine staying in one of those homes, curled up by a quaint little fireplace, the sounds of the forest surrounding the town lulling one to sleep. As they stepped a little further into the town, they began to see more and more people, going about their daily business. A bunch of them were heading to the marketplace while some were sweeping off their front stoop. The town, quite honestly, reminded her of Vaniville Town but a little older than her hometown was. It was a nice change of pace from the many cities they had visited recently.

"It's a nice place, right Pikachu?" Ash asked, scratching his best friend on the neck.

"Chaaa…." Pikachu agreed. Clemont was dragging a little behind them, but his eyes were swiveling back and forth, like they were looking for the Pokémon Center. It was probably a good idea; they had been walking for a while.

"Boar!" came a sudden cry from a side street in the town. Serena whipped around, clasping her bag's straps. Ash and Pikachu did the same, the former grasping a pokeball from his side. Clemont and Bonnie were slower to react, only turning when a slightly impactful shuddering shook the streets a little. From the shadows of that side street, some people were deftly moving out of the way as an Emboar crashed through the street.

"Noivern, I choo-"

"Emboar!" the Mega Fire Pig Pokémon exclaimed once more. Before Ash could even contemplate throwing Noivern's pokeball, the fire pig had scooped Ash and Pikachu up in its arms and was hugging them tightly.

"Uh…what's going on?" Bonnie asked in utter confusion. Even Serena had to take a moment to blink, wondering about this utterly bizarre situation. All she could do for a moment was stare at the strange sight of Emboar hugging Ash and Pikachu while nuzzling him with its snout. Next to her, Clemont was adjusting his glasses a little.

"This Emboar looks familiar…" he remarked, his finger on his chin as he peered at the Pokémon. Serena briefly looked at him and then decided to scrutinize the Emboar. Ash was laughing along with Pikachu at the strange affection before the Emboar finally set him down. Once it had, the Emboar held its fist out and Ash smiled, giving it a fistbump.

"Of course it's familiar," Ash commented. "It wouldn't be hugging me, otherwise."

"Hey! Emboar, where did you go? We had errands to-oh!" The new voice that was echoing from the side street was very quickly approaching and all of them turned to face its owner. Serena couldn't get a good view, not with Emboar in the way. But as the Fire type finally shifted aside, Serena could get a glance of the blond boy approaching them. Said boy stopped at the exit onto the road they were on and stared at them in disbelief.

Serena and the others echoed that.

"Ash?"

"Seamus? !" Ash exclaimed, Pikachu crying out at the same time as him. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," Seamus replied, folding his arms across his chest. There was a brief, tense moment where Serena flitted her eyes between Ash and the blond trainer they had met in Ancien City. Last time they had parted, it was as friends, but the fierce rivalry that preceded it was enough to make Serena wary. "How've you been?"

Serena exhaled at that and decided to look over the blond trainer with his striking Emboar. It hadn't been long, only close to two months since she'd last seen the pair, so they hadn't changed much. His hair was still short (though perhaps a  _little_  longer) and he still held himself with confidence. On the other hand, he was no longer wearing the smirk that he had constantly carried during the Kalos Team Tournament. He seemed a little wiser, kinder…and maybe a bit stronger. Of course, given where he said he'd be heading next time…

"This is your hometown?" Serena asked before Ash could answer him. Seamus turned to her and smiled, waving just a bit.

"Yeah. Welcome to Nova Town," he said, gesturing forth onto the rest of the town. "This is where I was born and raised until I left on my journey with the others. A small quaint little place, I guess. There aren't a lot of Pokémon trainers here…or much of anything, but I guess it's peaceful enough. We've been here since the tournament finished."

"How have the others been?" Clemont asked. Serena nodded, thinking it was a good question, as she started watching Bonnie hugging Emboar and Pikachu, Dedenne and Squishy frolicking around its feet.

"They're good, mostly," Seamus answered. His arms finally unfolded and it allowed Serena to relax a bit. "You want to see them?"

"Yeah!" Ash exclaimed, holding out his hand and shaking Seamus' as a way of greeting. The blond smiled and nodded before stepping in front of the group and beginning to walk forward into the proper part of Nova Town.

"Follow me, guys!" he said, waving them all forward. Ash was the first to comply, though Serena certainly wasn't far behind, drawing up to her boyfriend's side and taking his hand as they followed after Seamus. Looking at him as he was moving forward, Serena could see a total change in his demeanor. When they had first met on the evening of the Kalos Team Tournament's preliminaries, he had been cocky, abrasive and just plain insulting. He had continued that demeanor through most of the tournament, until the "debacle" took place and Seamus' outlook entirely changed. He seemed to be embodying that outlook here, and his now friendly Emboar displayed that.

"So, you two are still together?" he asked, tossing his head back slightly to ask it. Ash held both of their hands up.

"Of course we are!" Ash answered with a grin. "I love Serena, so of course we'd still be together."

"How about Bethany and Christopher?" Serena decided to ask. Seamus didn't give a verbal answer, opting instead for a nod to indicate that the other two members of the former Team Brutal were still together, as well. Although, thinking on it, she wondered if they had decided to change their name yet.

"How long are you guys planning to stay in Nova Town?" Seamus asked as they passed by a row of houses. A blond woman was outside one of them further along, watching them as they approached. She had a Drilbur next to her that seemed to be turning some dirt in a garden.

"Not sure," Clemont answered for them. "We were just coming by to rest before we set off for Lumiose City again."

"Lumiose?" Seamus questioned, a slight frown on his face. "That's a long way. Where did you guys come from?"

"Snowbelle City," Ash answered. Seamus' eyes lit up, like he had a very pertinent question, but before he could ask it, the woman that they were approaching called out to him.

"Seamus, what are you up to?" she asked. Her tone was a little sharp, but Serena heard a sort of concern behind it. As they got closer, Serena could make out the woman's facial features and noted that her nose was strikingly similar to Seamus', though her eyes were an entirely different hue.

"Ran into some old friends," he shouted back to her, shoving his hands in his pockets. He also stopped, halting the entire procession through town. The woman stood, dusting her pants off and coming to stand near them. In particular, her eyes seemed to be focused on Ash. Her boyfriend seemed a little uncomfortable with the staring, judging from the way his hand twitched in hers. None of that mattered when the woman smiled and held out a hand.

"You must be Ash Ketchum," she stated happily. Ash, finally seeming to get what was going on, took her hand and shook it with his own smile. "I watched your battle with my son in the Kalos Team Tournament. Really put him in his place."

"Mom," Seamus snapped, and Serena could swear she heard some of his old tone come through. "You mind actually taking my side for once?"

Seamus' mother, as she obviously was, turned her head to look at her son with an apologetic smile. "I do take your side, Seamus. I was still rooting for you through the entire tournament until you attacked Bethany's poor Pokémon like that. I honestly have no idea where you learned to be so horrible to your Pokémon, since neither I nor your father-"

"Can we not talk about this?" Serena's body was tensing over this mother-son showdown and she could even feel how wound up Ash was from watching this. "I don't do that anymore…and you know where."

"Of course…" his mother sighed out, as though she still didn't understand it, but was accepting of it. Instead of continuing the fight, she turned away from her son and to the four of them. "My apologies. I'm Elaine, Seamus' mother."

"Yeah, and about the only researcher in town," Seamus scoffed out jokingly. "You always like to remind people of that."

"Do I? Well, it's no wonder where you get your boastfulness from then, is it?" Elaine joked, elbowing her son playfully. Once Seamus had brushed her away, Elaine looked back to the group. "Why don't you all come in? You must be tired from traveling."

"We wouldn't want to-" Clemont began to say, but Bonnie quickly hopped forward and cut him off.

"Yeah!" she cried, making the group's decision for them. Seamus was shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders. Elaine just smiled at all of them and clucked her tongue. The Drilbur stopped digging and readily scampered inside the house. Elaine then turned right around and began to lead them into the dwelling. Bonnie and Clemont were the first to follow in while Ash and Serena hung back a little bit with Seamus.

"My mom, uh…can be a little overbearing," he said apologetically. Ash let go of Serena's hand to place it on Seamus' shoulder.

"Nah. She's just being a mom. Mine's the same," he assured the blond trainer.

"So is mine," Serena assured him. Seamus let off a small chuckle. It was nice, seeing him able to laugh. The Seamus she'd known two months ago would have never done so.

"Well, if you guys are staying in Nova Town for a couple days, why don't you stay here? We've had more than enough room since dad left and it's bound to be better than staying at the Pokémon Center."

"Sounds great!"

"Pika pika!" Serena just nodded and Seamus led them inside. There was still a bit of distance between them when Ash turned to face her with a smile.

"He looks like he's great," he said to her in a lower voice, obviously aware that saying something like that would be rude. "I'm glad he's happier."

"Me too," Serena told him, and the two crossed over the threshold into Seamus' house.

The first thing she noticed was how…normal it all looked. It was decorated with some flowers here and there, but the walls were a regular shade of teal and seafoam that made it appear calming. Down the hallway, Serena noticed a door to an open study with stacks of paper. What drew her attention the most, however, were the pictures on the wall. One of Elaine holding a baby Seamus, one of Seamus with a bloody nose but a smile, and even one of Seamus as he appeared now. Judging by the date, that last one looked like it had been taken after he returned from the Kalos Team Tournament. Moving on, Serena noticed some more pictures of Seamus and his mother. There were even more pictures of Seamus from his childhood: the day he and the others from Team Brutal left on their journey no doubt, a picture of Seamus and (to Serena's immense surprise) Travis, the one who had fought against them during the Ancien Debacle. The final picture she noticed before something else drew her attention was a cute picture of a young Seamus with a young Travis and a little girl, each of them holding a Pokémon: a Tepig, a Cubchoo, and a Zorua respectively. They were all smiling, except for maybe Travis, who looked to be smirking while they all hugged their Pokémon and each other.

"So, Ms. Elaine, what kind of research do you do?" Clemont asked, drawing Serena away from the pictures. He and Bonnie were setting their bags down at the end of the hallway. Serena and Ash were prompted to do the same by his inquiry.

"Ooh, do you research lots of cute Pokémon?" Bonnie piped in, leaning over a nearby table. Elaine let off a rather throaty chuckle.

"Oh, I'm not a Pokémon researcher," she said, her eyes twinkling as she looked at Bonnie. "I actually study history and folklore."

"That sounds boring…" Bonnie said, Dedenne mimicking her on the top of her head.

"Bonnie, that's not a nice thing to say," Clemont scolded his sister. "What kind of history?"

"The town's history," Seamus answered, leaning on a banister that led up to an obvious second floor. "It's part of the reason we live here. Mom and dad moved from Unova well before I was born to study the stuff here. Dad didn't see the worth in it and left."

"But I'm still fascinated by it!" Elaine said triumphantly. "Anyway, I'll whip up some food. Seamus, why don't you take them on a tour of the town?"

"I was about to before you called me over," her son informed her. Elaine just waved her hand like that was just a bunch of details that didn't matter. Rolling his eyes, Seamus turned back towards the entrance of the house. "Come on, you guys. I've got something cool to show you."

"Yay! Something cool!" Bonnie cheered. Serena made sure to grab the young girl before she could run so far ahead that they'd lose her. Bonnie pouted a little bit at this but allowed Serena to lead her outside after Seamus, the quartet leaving their bags (but not their Pokémon) behind.

"So, Ash," Seamus said as they continued back along the cobblestoned main street, "there was this rumor going around recently that you battled the Champion about a week or two ago."

"Urk," Ash said…well, it was more of a splutter. Serena hid her giggle behind her hand. "Yeah…kinda."

"Rumor had it you almost won…"

"I  _really_  wouldn't say that," Ash said and Serena noticed her boyfriend's tone change to a slightly darker one. "I'm sure she could have beaten me. I'm just lucky that I managed to stand a chance."

"Guess we'll have to battle again, then," the blond insisted. "I think I've gotten a little stronger lately. Maybe the result will be different, huh?"

"Sure thing!" Ash said with a triumphant fistpump. Finally, the group had reached the end of the path and come out into the open marketplace. Bonnie dragged Serena forward a little to look at the area. Now that she was here, Serena got a better glimpse of the area.

It was a perfect circle with booths full of people selling fish and meats or vegetables. At other places in the large marketplace were battlefields for trainers to use, though at the moment it seemed like only kids were taking them over, the tiniest of Pokémon going at it with kicks and scratches. In the very center of the area was a beautifully decorated fountain with all kinds of Pokémon making it up. The water was spewing forth from a point that rose upward like a spire or antenna, making it look different from some of the other fountains she was used to. Most strikingly, however, were the four stone archways that were slate gray, each of them at a placement that suggested the cardinal directions.

"Those are the Four Gates," Seamus said, obviously catching her looking at them. "Town superstition says that depending on which gate you go through when you depart for a journey, it will determine your destiny. We have replicas of them at the actual entrance and exits."

"That sounds rather unscientific," Clemont remarked. Seamus tilted his head a little, indicating that he mostly agreed. Serena took a moment, however, to look at those Four Gates. There were little carvings at the top of each arch and it didn't take long to figure out what they meant in relation to the gates: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind.

"It is a rather  _old_  superstition. That's part of what mom came here to study."

"Which gate did you go through?" Ash asked. Seamus didn't answer, his eyes seeming to gloss over as he stared into the distance. Serena hadn't thought it possible, but it seemed like this was something he really didn't want to talk about.

"Hey, Seamus! Mom and dad said you and Emboar did a great job with the construction around the house!" called a voice from another street that led into the marketplace. Seamus appeared to snap out of his stupor and turned to face the direction of the voice. Serena and the others turned with him and a smile stretched her face; she really should have seen this reunion coming.

"Bethany! Christopher!" she called out, not sure if the turquoise haired girl and her boyfriend had seen them. Bethany turned her head and smiled as well. Christopher simply opted for a wave.

"It's been a while, guys!" Bethany said, running over and surprising Serena with a hug. "What brings you to Nova Town?"

"Just passing through," Serena answered while Bethany detached herself. "How are you and Christopher doing?"

"We're great!" she announced. Christopher had moved forward and was shaking Ash and Clemont's hands, remaining as silent as ever except for a few words. "The three of us have been helping my mom and dad with their construction business or some of the farmers around the area. It's a different pace than what we're used to, but it's fun enough."

"Three of us?" Clemont questioned, fixing his glasses. "Where's Rocky?"

The question seemed to act like an Ice Beam that froze all three of them in place. Seamus looked a little angry and turned away to glance at a pair of kids battling with a Magby and a Swirlix on one of the battlefields. Bethany also stepped back and let out a sigh. Christopher was the only one who seemed to have any kind of answer.

"He left," the brunet answered, running a hand through his spiky hair. "About three weeks ago he left, saying he was going to find Travis. Hasn't been back since."

Travis. No wonder hearing Rocky's name made them all choke up like that. If Rocky had gone after Travis, it was for one of two reasons: to bring him back or make him pay. Judging from the group's expression, it was likely the latter. After all, just for losing in a tournament, he had decided to try and kill them all to absolve his record. Even to this day, and despite the fact she never even faced him, Serena wasn't sure if her compassionate heart could forgive him for that.

"Ah, enough of this doom and gloom!" Seamus announced. The kids had finished their battle and left the field open. "Let's have a battle! Three on three!"

"Sounds good to me!" Ash exclaimed, grabbing a pokeball from his belt as he and Seamus ran towards the battlefield. Serena met gazes with Bethany and began to laugh. Boys would be boys, after all. "Noivern, I choose you!"

"Let's go, Tangrowth!" Seamus said, sending out the burly Pokémon made of vines. Having never seen it before, Serena quickly looked the Pokémon up in her Pokédex before calling Sylveon out.

"We're going to have a battle, Sylveon," she told her Pokémon. Sylveon pranced around happily and joined her as they stepped onto the battlefield. Next to her, Clemont called out Luxray while Bethany and Christopher called out their Vanilluxe and Crawdaunt respectively. Bonnie ran to the side, apparently deciding to play referee.

"Okay! Battle begin!" she cried out.

"I'll take the first move," Seamus called out. "Tangrowth, use Bind on Sylveon!"

"Noivern, counter that with Boomburst!" Ash called out. Serena looked to see that he had the giddiest of expressions on his face. Noivern zoomed in, practically visible soundwaves firing off at the vines of Tangrowth that were whipping towards Sylveon. They were knocked off course, cracking loudly like whips. Serena decided on that moment to take charge of her part of the battle.

"Sylveon, use a widespread Fairy Wind!" she commanded with a smile. It was still so rare for her to take part in a battle, but being a part of something that her boyfriend loved and enjoyed made her completely willing to do her best. Sylveon's feelers whipped out and spun around before the great blast of wind tinged with pink blasted out. Crawdaunt crossed its pincers, trying to hold its ground against the super-effective technique.

"Tangrowth, anchor yourself into the ground with your vines," Seamus ordered stoically. Tangrowth finished retracting its vines and slammed them into the ground, not moving in the slightest from the attack. "Now, go under the ground and use Power Whip on Sylveon!"

"Luxray, use Electric Terrain!" Clemont commanded. Luxray's entire body started sparking and soon, jolts of electricity shot all around the battlefield, bathing it in a light steam and static. Ash was on the move again as Pikachu cheered next to him.

"Now, Acrobatics on Tangrowth!" Noivern's body glowed blue as it zipped around the field before appearing behind Tangrowth and slamming into it. Tangrowth stumbled forward, its vines ripping out with it.

"No way! Vanilluxe, use Ice Beam on Noivern!" Bethany commanded with a confident grin. Vanilluxe spun around before firing the blue beam straight at the exposed Noivern.

"Sylveon, use Protect!" Sylveon danced forward until it quickly reached Noivern and between its feelers a green shield was erected. The Ice Beam slammed into it, giving a blue glow as the battlefield was peppered with chunks of ice. Sylveon was bracing itself as Noivern faced forward.

"All right, now use Supersonic on Vanilluxe!"

"And Luxray, use Thunder Fang on Crawdaunt!" Clemont yelled. Luxray bounded forward as Noivern sent invisible waves at Vanilluxe that impeded its attack. Luxray's fangs crackled with electricity as it approached Crawdaunt.

"Night Slash." The command was, as usual with Christopher, quick and to the point. Luxray's fangs collided with the purple-glowing pincer, creating a stalemate between the two. Vanilluxe was busy spinning around in confusion, unimpeded. Serena chose to take advantage of that.

"All right, Sylveon, use Swift!" Sylveon danced around and then sent the shining golden stars at the woozy Vanilluxe. They found their mark, sending the giant ice cream cone spiraling.

"Hit that Sylveon with Poison Jab!" Seamus commanded of his Tangrowth. Tangrowth quickly regained its balance, its vines glowing a sickly purple as they lunged for Sylveon.

"Noivern, intercept with Dragon Claw!" Ash yelled triumphantly. Noivern whipped around once more, its claws glowing green as they impacted with the vines. "Come on! Push through it!"

"Don't give an inch!" Serena looked around the battlefield and could see the two stalemates between Luxray and Crawdaunt, and then Noivern and Tangrowth, continuing on. She smiled. This  _was_  a triple battle after all.

"Sylveon! Double Team and then Swift!"

"Sylvie!" Sylveon cried out, hunching a little. Seconds later, numerous Sylveon appeared around the area. Once they had reached full saturation, Sylveon whipped her feelers and the golden stars slammed effortlessly into their three opponents. That attack was all the opening that was needed for Noivern and Luxray to finish pushing in on their opponents, delivering a devastating blow that knocked both back.

"You guys are still as good as ever," Seamus chuckled out, "but the battle's just started."

"Noivern and I are ready!" Ash assured him.

"So are we," Clemont said as Luxray jumped back, battle-ready. Sylveon looked back at Serena, the doubles dispersing, and she nodded at her Pokémon. Confirming that Sylveon was okay, she allowed her gaze to shift over to Ash. He looked just as ready as ever, though something about this battle wasn't sitting quite right with her. Shaking the thought, she turned her eyes to her opponents and faced them with the same amount of steel that they held. Seamus stepped forward a little.

"Tangrowth, let's-"

"Hey, everyone!" The yell distracted Seamus and he turned his attention away from the battle. All of them did. A young man, his head wrapped in a bandanna, was running into the marketplace. In the small town, his voice appeared to carry. He stopped short at the entrance, leaning against one of the Four Gates. "You've gotta get to a TV! They're reporting on the summit! This is big!"

* * *

"Diantha, you're looking as stunning as ever!"

The Kalos Champion turned her head, a graceful, if ultimately bemused, smile adorning her face. Before her, not unexpectedly, was the large form of flaming hair that was the Champion of Unova.

"And I see you're as…charming, as ever," Diantha commented coolly. Truth be told, she had only met the man once before at last year's annual meeting of League officials. She had been rather unimpressed with him, but as a fellow Champion, she still felt that he demanded her respect. She just wasn't a fan of his need to flirt with beautiful women.

"Charming enough for a dinner, maybe?" Alder said, wiggling his eyebrows a little. Diantha couldn't help it; she chuckled. Before she could answer, though, the Kalos Champion saw a pale hand insert itself between the two of them and push Alder away.

"Come on, Alder, this isn't the time," came a tired sigh. Despite the woman's admonitions, Alder's eyes lit up, eliciting a shaking head from Diantha. He never changed…nor did the woman in front of him, the Sinnoh League Champion, Cynthia. "We are here for a summit, not a date."

"But I'm saying after…"

"I'm afraid I don't have time after," Diantha said softly. Alder's face dropped in disappointment. "I have a new film shoot lined up and Kathi Lee feels the need to remind me every five minutes about my itinerary for the next two weeks."

"How about you, Cynthia?"

"Take a seat, Alder. President Goodshow will be starting the summit soon," Cynthia said, pointing to one of the empty chairs in the large conference room. Alder's face drew itself into a pout, like a lost little puppy, but he nevertheless obeyed the Sinnoh Champion, slinking away to take a seat next to a member of the Elite Four from Sinnoh by the name of Aaron. He appeared to try and strike up another conversation, but Aaron appeared too tired to deal with the exuberant Unova Champion and largely ignored him.

"Cynthia, it's been too long," Diantha finally said, turning her attention back to the blonde. Holding out her hand, Cynthia shook it with a smile.

"It has. How have you been?" Cynthia asked as the two moved towards a pair of chairs that were near the high gleaming windows at the location they were at. Taking a brief glance outside them, Diantha could see a rushing waterfall that was obscuring the location, or so she had seen from her helicopter on arrival.

"Busy. Very." Cynthia laughed at the admission. "I had a little time off the other day, and all I was able to do was visit one of the more prominent Gym Leaders in my region and battle a trainer."

"Oh? Last I heard, you weren't taking challenges from trainers," Cynthia commented, taking a seat. Diantha followed, glancing her way down the table. Despite the vast number of chairs in the area, only a little over half of them were filled. It appeared that only herself, Cynthia, and Alder had shown up for the Champions given that Lance was on a mission (or so she heard) and Steven was said to be elsewhere, dealing with something. However, the entire Sinnoh and Unova Elite Four had shown, along with Agatha and Bruno of Kanto, Drake of Hoenn and a few other League officials that she didn't know the name of, barring the president, Charles Goodshow. Her own region's Elite Four hadn't bothered to show up at all.

"I don't usually," Diantha responded finally. "But this one was important."

"Do tell," Cynthia said, peering down at a packet of paper in front of her. Her fingers flipped lightly through it and she shrugged.

"I'd imagine that you'll hear about it here, if they've called the summit for what I think they called it for." Cynthia said nothing and made otherwise no expression. It was a good thing she did as the sound of doors snapping shut was suddenly heard and a loud banging was made on the table. From his seat, Goodshow stood and cleared his throat loudly.

"Let's now convene this League Summit," he called out before sitting back down and turning to a man in a black suit. Diantha recognized him as one of the League Organizers in charge of "damage control" as they called it. Said man stood, drawing all attention to him in the room.

"Champions and elite trainers of the Pokémon League," he began in a rumbling voice, accenting the moustache on his face, "we have called you here for a summit to discuss the current events in Kalos."

Diantha sighed internally; she had a feeling that this was the reason for which they had been called. With the Kalos League quickly approaching, the League was no doubt trying to shore up any and all defenses for it. This was no doubt made worse by the encroaching threat to Kalos and the news of the "Ancien Debacle" from two months ago. Sure enough, the League official was turning to her.

"Champion Diantha, is it true that Gym Leader Olympia of the Anistar Gym has had a vision of most disastrous proportions?" he asked. Diantha looked at her packet briefly, trying to briefly glance over the meeting's outline before answering.

"It is," she answered sternly. This sent a muted muttering around the room. "However, I do believe that our being informed of it in advance gives us a great advantage. The same thing took place in Hoenn just months ago, or so I'm told."

"Are you aware of what is to take part?" asked the Kanto Elite Four member Agatha. Diantha shook her head.

"At the moment, Olympia's visions have been more or less vague," Diantha answered. "The only certain things we know are this: the conflict will revolve around a Legendary Pokémon known as Zygarde; there is an island that has recently been overrun by vines in the Kalos region that we believe were created through Zygarde's power; and we know that Professor Sycamore, as well as Ash Ketchum and his friends will be heavily involved in the upcoming conflict."

"Ash?" Cynthia asked in surprise. Diantha briefly looked at her fellow Champion, herself surprised that Cynthia had even heard of him. Down the table, a man with red hair and an afro leaned back on his chair.

"Ah, well, then we don't have to worry," he said. "Ash is a good guy. He broke Volkner out of his funk, so I'm sure he'd handle anything a crisis throws on him."

"That's not the point, Mr. Flint," the League official said tiredly. "Right now, the issue is the disturbing trend of events that have been occurring around the League."

"A trend, you say?" Cynthia asked. She was now leaning forward, peering sharply down the table. "What do you mean?"

"In the last many years, the League has noticed a disturbing trend of criminal syndicates enacting plans of regional damaging proportions right around the time of the conferences. We're beginning to worry that it may, in fact, affect the League or worse. Now seems to be no different. Just two months ago, we had the Ancien Debacle."

"Is  _that_  why this summit has been called?" Diantha asked tersely. "The Ancien Debacle was a near tragedy, no doubt, but the efforts of the trainers there protected the town and everyone in it."

"What if it doesn't next time, though?" Alder asked, displaying a serious demeanor for once. Next to him, Aaron was yawning as a Yanmega landed on his head, chattering away a little. Alder appeared to scoot his chair away for a moment. "If, as is suggested, these situations are growing far more violent and dangerous, then we have much reason to worry. Especially so if Ash has been involved with  _all_  of these things."

"You're worrying too much, Alder," Flint said, crossing one leg over the other. "I've said it once and I'll say it again: Ash is a great trainer. I don't know why we're all talking on and on about this. He was at the center of this Ancien Debacle, right? And he won. Throw him at any challenge and he'll overcome it."

"That's true," Diantha commented, drawing the eyes back to her once again. "I battled Ash a couple weeks ago and he almost defeated my Gardevoir. Regardless of what we may think, Ash Ketchum is a trainer in whom we can trust. More than that, he'll be taking part in the Kalos League this year. Any attempt made there can be easily th-"

A sudden blast exploded outward, the windows shattering into tiny glass fragments that scattered inward. Diantha's body flew forward, colliding violently with the table. She fell to the floor as heat washed over her. Blinking a little, she shook her head. The sound of the impacting explosion hadn't even been heard, it had been so sudden. Raising a hand up, Diantha grabbed onto the table to help herself up. On the floor, Cynthia seemed to have hit her head and was passed out.

Another explosion hit, blasting stone upward. Diantha scrabbled for her pokeball and tossed it into the air. "Reflect!"

"Garde!" her ace Pokémon called out, arms thrown wide. A bright blue shield expanded around the table as a piece of rubble made contact. Diantha took this moment to try and pull herself up again, her stomach aching from the collision. Just as she managed to get a better glance at the now destroyed table, a Hyper Beam fired through the window. Gardevoir braced for the strike just as it hit and Diantha felt her heart crying out for her partner. As she did so, she got a brief look at the carnage in the room. Alder was slumped over the table, and Aaron must have disappeared underneath it from the hit. Numerous others of the people there were sprawled around the room.

"Gardevoir, protect the president," Diantha gasped out, clutching at her chest. Her limbs felt heavy, and tired, like she was underneath a gravity field. Her head lifted with immense tension and saw a Medicham, landing slowly upon the floor and she knew: Gravity was being used. Gardevoir couldn't move, either, barely struggling to maintain its Reflect. Medicham stalked slowly forward, an aura building around its body. Once it had gotten close enough, its fist struck forward with insane speed, slamming into Gardevoir and sending it catapulting across the table. "No!"

A new sound met Diantha's ears, sounding like whirring…and the whooshing of wings. Pulling her head up as much as possible, she finally looked through the gaping window. A great black shape was floating there, the waterfall serving as an ominous backdrop. After a few seconds, the figure became clearer as it glided into the room through the window. Under the light of the building, Diantha could see a Salamence, flapping its wings as it landed, and a young individual (or so she presumed) stepping off, their face covered in a mask. The figure said nothing, but just stalked silently forward, their gaze looking back and forth, as though searching. Eventually, the individual's eyes settled on Diantha. When they finally reached her, the person leaned down and lifted her up a little.

"Who…are you?" she asked, though it was more of a wheeze. The masked individual made no acknowledgement of her question. They just reached forward with their other hand and took hold of her necklace…her keystone.

"I need this," the figure breathed, their voice distorted by the mask. With force, they ripped the necklace off, causing Diantha to gasp, almost like she lost a part of herself. The figure then stepped away, back towards their Salamence, walking onto its back once again as it raised into the air. "The age of Team Neo is almost here. Just wait a little longer, Champion."

"I don't think so…Gardevoir, use Moonblast!" Diantha screeched out, straining her vocal cords. From where Gardevoir had landed from Medicham's attack, she floated back up, gathering energy around her body. The man on the Salamence turned, before chuckling a little and snapping. "Now!"

The Moonblast never fired…because another missile rocked the building, sailed through the window and covered the room in exploding flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So…what did you think? I wanted to start this story with a giant bang! So, a League calling a summit to discuss the past and encroaching threats was something brewing in my head for a long time, and I really wanted that summit to be outright decimated to cripple the power structure of the League for the moment. I'm so glad I was able to put it in here. On the flip side, of course, we've reintroduced three members of the ex-Team Brutal in Seamus, Bethany and Christopher. Obviously, they'll be playing a big part here. As for anything else, I can't share without spoiling…Needless to say, I think you're all in for a ride.
> 
> On that note, I'm very interested in what you all think. Good opening? Bad opening? Are you intrigued? Bored? I'd like to know, especially if you're older readers from "Love in the Time of Teamwork"! So, until the next chapter, please Review, and as always, Dare to Be Silly.


	2. A Signal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You've all made me feel so welcome to be back with this sequel. I never anticipated the response you all showed last chapter and I can only hope you continue on this journey with me. For now, though, let's start Chapter 2!

Chapter 2

A Signal

Serena was staring at the flat television screen, her eyes wide at the sight of the carnage before her. She wasn't the only one unable to make a sound. All of them, her boyfriend, friends, and the ex-Team Brutal members including Seamus' mother, were staring in horror at the images on the screen. Across the bottom of the screen was a banner reading "Major Attack on Pokémon League Summit". On the couch near the TV, Bonnie was fidgeting uncomfortably while Elaine was leaning forward, her legs crossed.

"I don't believe it…" Clemont breathed out, shaking his head. Serena could barely even manage that, her chest rising and falling as she tried to get her body's reaction under control. Ash wasn't faring much better, his body visibly quaking with suppressed anger. At least, that was what she thought he was shaking from.

Steeling herself, Serena turned back to the images, swallowing a lump in her throat. Smoke was rising from the still undisclosed location that the summit had been held at. A giant window was blasted inward and a group of Water Pokémon were blasting into the room, as if trying to clear the smoke and fire. This was interspersed with images of the various League officials being wheeled out on gurneys. What made it worse was that there was no confirmation of casualties. It was clear that the president of the League, Charles Goodshow, was perfectly fine, though he had suffered a concussion. The fate of various others, including Diantha, was unknown. A reporter came onto the screen.

"Turn it up, mom," Seamus said seriously. He, Bethany and Christopher were on a corner of the couch, staring angrily at the screen. Elaine grabbed the remote and flicked it up, allowing the volume to raise enough for the reporter to be heard.

"I'm reporting from the League Summit following a blistering attack," the reporter said seriously. With a small jerk, Serena recognized him as Harrison Kalas, the man who had commentated the Kalos Team Tournament. "It appears that early this afternoon, an attack was made on the summit by an individual in a mask riding a Salamence. After speaking with survivors of the assault, it has been revealed to be an attack by an organization known as Team Neo."

"Neo?" Bonnie asked, tilting her head to the side. "What does that mean, Clemont?"

"It means 'new'," Clemont answered his sister. Serena folded her arms across her chest. Ash had stopped shaking and had put an arm around her shoulders. It was comforting in the midst of such tragedy.

"No other news has been divulged at this time, but rest assured that we'll be delivering you information as it becomes available." That seemed to be the end of Kalas' report and it went back to the anchorwoman, Malva, in the newsroom. However, while they continued to talk about the attack, nothing of any interest was said and Elaine turned the volume back down.

"Such a tragedy…" she breathed out. "And so close to the League, too. I wonder if it could be some kind of protest?"

"It's not right," Ash spat. Serena looked at her boyfriend to see him frowning, and her heart sank a little. She breathed in a little more, feeling her mind balance itself out.

"I wonder how they were able to attack it at such a perfect time," she stated. Almost everyone in the room looked directly at her in interest. The only one she noticed not doing so was Seamus, the blond staring off into the distance like he saw something that wasn't there. "The summit was being held in an undisclosed location, right? How did they know where to find it and how to attack it?"

"Serena has a good point," Bethany pointed out, looking at her boyfriend. Christopher nodded, turning his head and looking at Seamus.

"What's on your mind?" he grunted out. Seamus turned his head and Serena looked straight at him. Something was off on his face. His eyes were clouded over like he was distracted. Or maybe it was Serena's imagination, because it appeared to clear up a moment later.

"Oh, nothing," he waved off. Serena wasn't entirely convinced that whatever he was thinking of was just 'nothing'. "Just reminded me of…Zinnia…"

The room grew quiet, but for the muted sounds from the television. In Serena's mind, it had been one of the first moments since the closing ceremonies of the Kalos Team Tournament that the Draconid's name had been mentioned aloud. Elaine was looking at each of them, as if wondering what they were talking about. It was really no surprise; even the media had no idea about Zinnia, and only Ash and she had interacted with her intimately enough to know anything. Clearly, Seamus and the others hadn't mentioned the event to their parents.

On the screen, the sounds of a muted Malva were still slipping out of the television. Serena hung her head a little in contemplation when a strange sound entered her ears. It was like a sudden burst of static, a sharp  _kssh_  in her brain. That caused her to look up and she saw the others looking around as though they'd heard it, as well. Her eyes swiveled over to the television and she saw lines of static all over it and the screen suddenly cut out, revealing the colored bars that represented it going off the air. Elaine grabbed her remote and started pressing buttons, like she wanted to change the channel, but nothing happened…

…until the picture was replaced with that of a figure cloaked in shadow.

"Greetings, trainers of the Kalos Region," the figure said, his voice distinctly male. Shivers passed down Serena's spine at the man's words. "By now, I am sure most of you have seen the footage of what occurred at the League Summit just a couple hours ago. To answer a question that I am sure is on everyone's minds: yes, this was a planned and deliberate attack. I'm sure the next question you're asking is why?"

"Can he read minds?" Bonnie whispered fearfully. The man on the screen chuckled.

"No, I don't read minds, though my Medicham has been known to, from time to time," he answered genially. Had he not been so imposing on the screen, Serena might have thought he was a kind man inviting them all for tea, even if she still didn't know what he looked like. "Before I answer your well-thought question, allow me to introduce myself as Dalton, leader of the Delta Squad and Team Neo, itself."

"Delta Squad…" Ash said, as though the very concept of the name confused him. Seamus was no longer looking glazed over, but staring sharply at the screen from the edge of the couch. "So, this guy's the leader, huh? Wonder why he won't just show his face."

"Now, to business," Dalton said sharply, cutting across any thoughts or conversations that might have started. "Team Neo has not attacked this summit out of malice or a desire for world domination…not as of yet, at least. No, we attacked the summit for one reason only: the ultimate demise of the League as it is now."

"What? !" Clemont exclaimed, surprising everyone else in the room and making them jump. His shock was well founded. Despite not being a League trainer, Serena knew its importance in the Regional governing and its organization of trainers. Destroying the League was a ludicrous idea.

"The Pokémon League, in its current state, is evidence of a failed system; a group of weak trainers that have failed to live up to the potential they needed to," Dalton explained to all of them. His hands were moving on the screen, but the rest of him was still masked in shadow. "So, Team Neo plans to turn back the clock to make the League what it needs to be, what it should be. To that end, we are willing to accept any trainer from any walk of life. You will not be turned away.

"I look forward to your favorable response."

With that, the message abruptly cut off and returned to the news report that had been playing. Ash took his arm from around Serena's shoulders to scratch his head in confusion. Serena wanted to emulate him. That whole declaration (if that was what it was) had been filled with nothing but meaningless jargon. "Turn back the clock" and "death of the League". It all sounded like some kind of crazy activist rhetoric. All Serena knew was that Team Neo was a bunch of crazies and it was doubtful that any trainer would be so willing to join up with them; not after attacking such a beloved institution.

"Dalton, huh?" Seamus breathed out. His hands were clasped together, one looking ready to crush the other. Bethany looked at him with a scowl on her face.

"What's wrong with you, Seamus?" she asked, a biting tone on her lips.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me," he answered. Bethany just shrugged and let the issue go. Serena wasn't sure if they should, but it hardly mattered when Ash opened his mouth.

"Well, whoever they are, they can't get away with this!" Ash proclaimed loudly. "The League is coming up soon. What are all the trainers and Pokémon who have been training for months for this going to do if the Pokémon League is destroyed?"

"Yeah! Yeah!" Bonnie proclaimed, shaking her fist in the air. Dedenne was atop her shoulder chattering wildly in agreement.

"Calm down, you two!" Clemont said, holding his hands out as if to reassure them. "I understand how you're feeling, but we can't just say we want to stop them. We have no idea where to start!"

"Never stopped me before," Ash proclaimed. Serena had to really stop herself from laughing at that one, simply because of the lunacy of the statement. Over on the couch, Seamus just sighed loudly.

"Whatever. You guys can do what you want," he said irritably. Just like before, Serena heard a flash of his old self in his voice as he stood. Everyone's eyes then watched him as he headed for the front door and slammed it shut, causing a number of them to wince.

"Don't mind him," Elaine said quietly, like she understood. "I've got some snacks if you all want them. It's no good to discuss heavy stuff like this on an empty stomach."

"Sweet!" Ash cried, causing Serena to roll her eyes. No matter how fired up he was, none of it mattered once food was on the table. And Elaine certainly looked to have prepared some nice mini-sandwiches that appeared to be packed with all manner of meats and cheeses. Ash and Pikachu quickly took one, thanking Elaine greatly. Bethany and Christopher also grabbed one.

"We'll go see what's up Seamus' butt," Bethany told them, clapping a hand on Serena's shoulder as she left. This left just their little traveling group behind in Seamus' house. Bonnie was still in a disgruntled mood from the message, munching furiously on her sandwich as she watched Malva giving a report on the stadium being built in Lumiose City for the League. Serena just watched her, contentedly enjoying her own sandwich.

"Ooh!" Bonnie suddenly cried. Her sandwich almost dropped the floor, but was caught by Dedenne and Squishy. "Ooh! Ooh! You could build an invention, Clemont!"

"What?" Clemont asked, jerking his body so hard that his glasses were knocked askew. "You  _want_  me to build an invention?"

"Sure! You're good with all that stuff," Bonnie said. "So, you build a new invention that can find the place where that Dalton guy was at. Then we tell Officer Jenny or something!"

"Hey, that sounds like a great idea!" Ash agreed. Naturally, he shoved the rest of his sandwich into his mouth and flung an arm around Clemont, who looked fairly embarrassed. "Schienshe ish sho amashing. Just try it, Clemont!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu agreed, thumping Clemont on the back of the neck. Clemont smiled a bit at Ash's confidence in him before adjusting his glasses with one hand (considering the other was holding onto his sandwich).

"Heh heh heh," he finally chuckled out, allowing Ash to withdraw his arm. "The future is now thanks to science! I thought we'd encounter a situation like this, so I built this invention. Clemontic Gear on! Allow me to introduce you to my 'Signal Through a Television Tracker'!"

"Yeah! Go and find it, Clemont!" Bonnie cheered her brother on. Serena giggled this time, drawing Ash's attention to her for a brief moment. She somehow doubted that Clemont had actually  _anticipated_  the TV to be hijacked, but it was nice to see him helping out nonetheless.

"Sorry, guys, this might take a while," Clemont told them, taking out his strange device. It looked like a large, almost computer-like object, with a couple cables stretching out from it. Clemont took those cables and attached them to the back of the television. From the kitchen, Serena could see Elaine watching the scene with amused curiosity. "Why don't you try to go on a full tour of the town, since we weren't able to last time?"

"That sounds like an idea," Serena suggested, hoping that Ash would be up for it. They hadn't had much time to be alone recently…considering the last time they were, she'd thrown a snowball at his face.

"You two could make it a date!" Bonnie snickered out, turning over onto her stomach. Serena felt her eyes narrowing suspiciously. She still wasn't sure how she felt about Bonnie trying to interfere on their first date. "Promise I won't follow!"

"All right, let's go, Serena!" Ash said excitedly, cutting over Bonnie. He then quickly grabbed her hand and started dragging her out of the house and back onto the main road of Nova Town. Serena struggled for a moment to catch up until they'd reached the middle of the street and Ash had slowed down. He seemed to realize that he had dragged her out and smiled apologetically. "Sorry…I guess I'm still a little uncomfortable about us being…an us?"

"It's okay, Ash," Serena said, smiling comfortingly. She turned to look at him, seeing the slight frown playing on his face. If she thought about it, she knew she'd seen this kind of look on Ash's face more than once since they started dating, with how unusual everything was. Knowing this, Serena reached up and cupped one side of his face. "I fell in love with the dense Ash that never realized I was in love with him. I can handle you not knowing how to be the perfect boyfriend."

"Well, that's a relief," Ash sighed out. Pikachu emulated him from his shoulder, prompting Serena to drop her hand to his and taking it. "Really, I'm just not sure  _what_  to do right now…I feel like I have to do something about that attack on the League, but I don't know what! Agh! It's so frustrating!"

"Don't worry about it, Ash," Serena said, squeezing his hand as they began walking towards the marketplace. She hoped to get a much better look at it this time. "You just need to do what you can. Same as me."

Ash's face now took on a thoughtful expression, which was especially striking when Pikachu looked at him with a tilted head. Finally, a smile stretched wide. "You're right! Sometimes you can say the best things, Serena!"

"I can only say those things because they're something you would say," she admitted. The two continued to walk forward, their joined hands swinging back and forth. Before long, they passed under one of the Gates and into the marketplace, which was far quieter than it had been just an hour before. Some of the vendors were back out and about in trying to sell their goods, and the same for some of the citizens, but a lot still seemed to be either back in their homes or at the Pokémon Center. It had suddenly become clear to Serena that very few visitors actually seemed to come through the town.

"Hey, you young lovebirds," called one of the nearby vendors, "care for a small baked good?"

"Sure," Ash said. Serena smiled and shook her head, knowing that Ash would go for his stomach. The couple stepped forward and Serena noticed the array of different goods available at the lady's bake stand. From breads to doughnuts, or crepes to cookies, there was a wide array that had her boyfriend predictably drooling.

"Take what you like," the baker said with her dimples rising on her cheeks. Ash quickly obliged the woman, grabbing about two doughnuts and a puff pastry happily. Serena was far more modest, simply grabbing three crepes, mostly to share with Clemont and Bonnie. "Are you folks here for the Firelight Ceremony?"

"Firelight Ceremony?" Ash asked through a mouth full of doughnut.

"It's a wonderful little ceremony where all the native Volbeat and Illumise in the forests mate before taking off for places unknown, bathing the sky in lights as beautiful as fire that shimmers over the lake's surface," the old woman informed them. "It's said that a couple who witnesses it is meant to have eternal happiness."

"Oh, guess we could stick around for something like that," Ash said, though Serena could tell he was embarrassed by the notion. Knowing this, Serena decided to get them moving and save them from further mortification.

"Thank you, ma'am," Serena said with a smile as the couple wheeled themselves away. The woman waved them off as they continued on towards the fountain, the trickling water creating a very nice sensation of sound in all their ears. Serena broke off a bit of her crepe and flung it into her mouth. She saw Pikachu clamber across Ash's shoulder to be in between them. Smiling a little, Serena broke off another piece and handed it over to the yellow mouse. "Here you go, Pikachu."

"Pipika, Pikachu!" he chattered happily as he consumed the crepe. Soon after, the couple and Pikachu reached the fountain and sat down on its edge, which provided more than enough room. Ash finished eating his doughnuts while Pikachu rolled onto the bench with them and sighed in contentment. Serena finished nibbling her own crepe as well.

"Do you think they're okay?" Ash's voice asked suddenly, filled with worry. "The Champions and Elite Four members at the summit."

"I'm sure they're okay, and I don't think it would delay the League either," Serena told him comfortingly. "Even if it does, it won't be for that long." Ash didn't respond to this, almost like he had no words with which to respond. Serena didn't mind. Quiet moments with Ash were few and far between, so she took them when she could get them. It was unfortunately interrupted by a familiar sigh from the other side of the fountain. Serena turned her head and noticed the blond head of hair that was Seamus leaning against the other side. Ash noticed it as well, for he stood and started walking around the fountain. Serena was quick to go after him, as was Pikachu.

"Hey, is everything okay, Seamus?" he asked. Not that it was a difficult question to ask; when Seamus turned his face, it was very easy to see that something was bothering him. This was only accentuated by the fact that he seemed to be staring ahead into the forest that started in the town, just beyond one of the Gates. Serena followed his vision, but didn't see what he was seeing. However, she did catch sight of the large lake on the border of the town, to the side of the forest.

"Yeah…" he said, though it wasn't very convincing. Even Ash had picked up on how upset he sounded. "Just some old memories."

"What kind?" Serena asked kindly. Seamus briefly looked at her before standing up straight.

"Just the day I left, I guess," Seamus admitted with a rub to the back of his neck. "Travis was with me then. We both said we'd win every battle and beat every trainer…look how that turned out. I don't even know where he is. Part of me doesn't care."

"You miss him, though, right?"

"Kinda. I don't know," Seamus groaned out. He was obviously frustrated by all this. "We knew each other since we were kids, until he left for a while. He and I have always been this unflappable duo. Now, I guess…I have to figure out who I am without him." It was such a sad statement coming from the trainer who once showed an excess of arrogance and bravado. "Never mind that, though. No point in you getting involved with  _my_  problems."

"Yeah, but…" Ash started, rubbing his nose a little, "talking about it can help, right?"

"Yes, why don't you talk to them?"

Seamus shot upward, his body growing rigid as he whipped his head around, trying to discern the source of the voice. It wasn't that hard to find. All Serena had to do was stare straight ahead to see the form of what looked like a girl, dressed in a black mask with a golden triangle on it. Serena wasn't well versed in symbols, but it was pretty easy to recognize that one: delta. She didn't seem to be alone, either, as a man was hidden in the shadows, but very visible to them. The girl continued to walk forward. Pikachu leapt forward, cheeks sparking and both Ash and Serena's hands flew to their pokeballs.

"Your new friends seem rather protective, Seamus," the girl said, stalking forward slowly. Her back was bent a bit, almost like an animal, but it seemed to make her all the more threatening. Seamus, for his part, was frozen there. "Are you so quick to forget the past?"

"Shut. Up," Seamus finally spat out through gritted teeth. Serena was surprised at the sheer level of venom in his voice. Even during his encounters with Ash, she had never heard this level of…ferocity. "Don't you speak to me in that voice!"

"Oh? You don't like this voice? So, you do remember-"

"I said, shut up! Emboar, use Power-Up Punch!" Seamus roared, flinging his pokeball out and sending Emboar onto the tiled pavement of the marketplace. Emboar looked confused upon seeing that its opponent was a girl and not a Pokémon. "Just do it!"

"Seamus, what do you think you're-" Ash began to yell, but Emboar was on the move. Serena's eyes widened in horror as Emboar, despite reluctance in its eyes, obeyed its trainer and threw a glowing fist at the girl. "Pikachu, intercept with Quick…Attack…"

Ash's order trailed off into nothing and Serena's eyes now widened to dinner plates (she felt they had only been dessert plates before). The girl had stopped Emboar's attack cold with both of her hands. The mask covering her face made it impossible to see what her expression was, but the very display itself was frightening. Never before had she seen a human outright take on a Pokémon…and win, no less. Seamus was heaving angrily.

"Why are you here? What does Team Neo have to do with Nova Town?" Seamus demanded.

"Team Neo? How do you know?" Serena asked. How was Seamus able to figure that out so quickly?

"That stupid triangle on her helmet. Delta Squad, right? I have no idea what you're up to, but Nova Town is my home," Seamus said, his anger palpable on his face. The girl's body remained tense, and with a push of extreme force, Emboar went sailing backwards, crashing into the fountain. Thankfully the water device had nary a scratch.

"I just wanted to see you. Dalton welcomes all trainers, after all," she said finally. Serena and Ash took a step forward, as if in defense of Seamus. The girl saw this and inclined her head, as though she was disappointed. "Don't forget your past, Seamus. Though I wonder…which Gate, if given a choice, would you choose this time?"

"That's enough, Merle. Dalton expects us," came the voice from the shadows. The girl, Merle, turned her head, placing a hand to her ear, and nodded. A bright show of light emerged and a Skuntank appeared. The man walked forward just a little and Serena got a very brief look at him. His eyebrows thin and pointing upward and his dark purple hair slicked back, almost similar to his Skuntank's. His clothes weren't that flashy, consisting of a skin-tight suit with a great embroidered A (or so it looked like) along with a T on the other side.

"Of course he is," Merle said. She nodded once more and looked at Seamus. Still no expression could be seen, and it all was for naught as a Smokescreen was suddenly flushed out from Skuntank. Serena grabbed her vest and used it to cover her mouth and eyes, though she was surprised it didn't smell. When the smoke cleared, both Merle and the man were gone. All Serena could do was stare at the spot they had vanished from in perplexity.

"What was that all about?" Ash asked, his face scrunched into completely understandable confusion. Next to him, Seamus was shaking with anger. At least, Serena presumed it was anger, given how he had just reacted. With a loud "tch", he whipped his pokeball around and recalled Emboar before beginning to walk away. "Hey, Seamus."

"What?" the blond snapped angrily. Ash took a step back and Pikachu looked up at him in worry.

"You seemed to know that girl," her boyfriend started tentatively. Seamus' eyes narrowed dangerously, causing Serena to step close to Ash. He looked like a snarling Pyroar, the way he was glaring at them, as if daring them to make another observation.

"I don't," he concluded harshly. "She just sounded like someone I used to know when I was younger. Someone who would never be a part of Team  _Neo_."

"But, you-"

"Leave it alone, Ketchum!" Seamus suddenly roared. A flock of Pidgey elsewhere flew off at the sound of his yelling, and some passersby stopped for a moment. Seamus continued glaring at Ash, and Serena gripped his arm to reassure him that he'd done nothing wrong. As Seamus saw this, his face started to change, softening before his mouth hung agape in a look of horror. "S-sorry…I just…"

He looked so lost. Confused. Like he wanted to curl up into a ball, or as if his brain was being tortured and tormented. Ash took a step forward, his free arm reaching out to comfort the boy. He didn't get a chance to, because he soon noticed the exact same thing that Serena did: Clemont and Bonnie were running down the road toward them, not in that order.

"Clemont found it! Clemont found the signal!" Bonnie exclaimed happily, jumping up and down on her feet as she skidded to a stop. She didn't tell them any more though, presumably waiting for her brother to catch up. "Brother, hurry up and get over here!"

"I'm trying, Bonnie…you know I'm no good at…" Clemont huffed up as he slowly entered into a trot that brought him into the center of the group. "They're here."

"What?" Serena asked. Her tone was flat, disbelieving. Clemont righted himself, dusting his jumpsuit off.

"Not here, here, but close by," he clarified. That allowed Serena to breathe a little better. After their encounter with the girl Merle and that man from Team Neo, hearing that they were actually sending the signal from this town had almost caused her a heart attack. "It's out in the forest, about a mile beyond the town."

"Great. Let's tell Officer Jenny," Ash said. Serena thought that was a good idea, and she resolved to get her tablet and look at where the police station was, only to remember it was back at her bag in Seamus' house. Wanting to slap herself for not keeping her bag close in such a situation, she was distracted from her exasperation by the now approaching Bethany and Christopher, who were running over with their own exasperated and relieved expressions respectively.

" _There_  you are," Bethany snapped. Seamus didn't turn to look at her, despite it being obvious that he was who she was talking to. "Thanks for making us look all over town for you."

"What's going on?" Christopher asked. It was so like him: straight and to the point. Not that it was difficult to miss Clemont's device, and the blinking red dot on the map displayed.

"Clemont found where Team Neo was sending out the signal from! We were about to go find Officer Jenny," Ash explained, both of his hands in fists of determination. Christopher stared at him for a moment before shaking his head.

"I don't think that's going to happen," he replied simply. "Officer Jenny is away for continued training this week. There isn't a lot of crime, if any, in Nova Town, making her the only law enforcement here, and with strong trainers like us, it was pretty safe to leave the town for a week."

"Now? Of all times?" Serena asked. What were the coincidences of  _that_  happening? First a strike on the League, then a hack into the television broadcast system from a location right outside of Nova Town, which happened to the be the  _one_  town without any law enforcement? Even Serena couldn't deny that something felt off. "So, who's in charge of protecting the town while she's gone then?"

"We are, I guess," Christopher admitted with a chuckle. It was a strange, nervous chuckle, but that may have been because she'd never heard him laugh before.

"Chris is right," Seamus said quietly. "We're the strongest trainers in town, for the most part. Anything Officer Jenny can't handle, we take care of."

"Hey, isn't this the old radio station?" Bethany suddenly asked, drawing attention back to monitor that Clemont was holding. Serena craned her head to take a look at the monitor but all she saw was some kind of topographic map with a blinking red dot. That didn't provide much, but it wasn't like she was from the area. "Yeah! There was a radio station, a couple years back, aired my favorite show on Saturdays, 'Theta's Tip-Top Travelogue'. It's what got me into wanting to travel until it ended…oh, a while ago."

"The whole radio station closed down," Seamus said, whirling around and leaning back against the fountain once more. "I have no idea what it was, but they abandoned it."

"So…let me understand…" Ash said, screwing his face up in concentration. Pikachu bounded up from the ground and onto Ash's shoulder once more, patting his trainer on the face while he thought. "This signal is coming from a closed down radio station, but we can't tell Officer Jenny because she's away on a training class, and you guys are in charge?"

"Yes," came Christopher's curt response. Ash was nodding, and Serena could see a very potent thought going through her boyfriend's head. It didn't take long for him to clap a fist on an open palm.

"Let's do it ourselves!"

"What?" Clemont said with eyes almost bigger than his glasses.

" _What_?" Serena's voice screeched, going up an octave.

"Yeah!" Bonnie cheered.

"Denene!" Dedenne agreed. There was also a burbling from Squishy which made Serena's eye twitch just a bit. Ash actually appeared to notice because he faced her first.

"We're the people who fought in the Ancien Debacle. If the League is out and Officer Jenny is gone, no one's better to fight this Team Neo than us, right?"

"Ash, that's not the point," Serena sighed out, placing a hand on her head. "This is a clearly dangerous team. Raiding their hideout is stupid. And we have Bonnie here."

"Dedenne can protect me," Bonnie pointed out. Serena wanted to glare at the girl for opening her mouth at a moment that it would have been best not to. Still, her words had dredged some consideration out of Ash because he had paused, staring at her with a frown and a curious expression. He wasn't saying anything either, which was so unlike him.

"Look," Christopher said sternly, clapping both Serena and Ash on the shoulder. "We go now, or we leave everything else to chance. The element of surprise is still our best weapon."

"I know that," Serena said. She didn't like the idea of getting involved, especially with someone like Bonnie in their party. Yet at the same time, seeing Ash so fired up, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop him. And if Ash was going…she would certainly have to go. "All right. But at the first sign of danger, I think we should all just pull back."

"Yes!" Ash exclaimed happily, throwing his fist into the air. Serena couldn't help but shake her head. "Let's get going, then!"

"Ash…" Clemont whined out, drawing the raven-haired trainer's attention back onto him. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"I am?" Ash asked. Bonnie slapped her head in amusement and Pikachu did much the same. "Oh, our bags!"

"Pikapi…" Pikachu sighed out before hopping from his trainer's shoulder and scampering back down the main street, likely to collect the bags. Serena just clasped her hands together. There was Ash's reckless side coming out again; only this time she'd have to help protect him from any danger.

"So, which way is the radio station?" Ash asked of Bethany. The turquoise-haired girl let off a beaming smile.

"Through the Gate of Earth, about a mile north," she said happily. "I once visited there with my dad. I even got to meet Theta! She was so cool; the way she spoke of the locations she'd visited in her youth. That day she was doing a show on a part of the Orange Archipelago. There was something so haunting and sad about the story…but it filled me with this amazing want to go there someday."

"Which you seem fit to remind me once a week," Christopher sighed out tiredly. Bethany swatted her boyfriend playfully. "Don't worry, we'll go there one day soon."

"Pika!" To Serena's surprise, Pikachu had already returned, both her and Ash's bag trailing along behind him as he tumbled forward into a roll. Ash bent down and picked both his best friend and his bag up, depositing Pikachu onto his shoulder again and his bag around his shoulders.

"All right! Let's go, everyone!"

With those triumphant words, Ash started running towards what he presumed was the Gate of Earth. It didn't surprise Serena that he was heading towards the wrong one, which Christopher yanked him back from in order to follow Bethany. Ash smiled sheepishly and then changed direction. Laughing a little to herself, Serena pumped her feet a little more to catch up with her boyfriend while slipping her own bag on. Within seconds, they had reached the threshold of the Gate of Earth and passed under it, heading down another road outside of the city. The honey-blonde turned her head around to see that Clemont and Bonnie were keeping up when she caught sight of Seamus, paused at the edge of the Gate.

"Serena…?" Ash asked, looking at her with a little worry. She offered him a smile as reassurance.

"Don't worry. I'll catch up," she said. Then she left Ash's side to head back to Seamus, who still wasn't moving. "Seamus, are you all right? You've been acting strange since we met that girl, Merle."

"Yeah, I'm fine…I just don't like this Gate," he said quietly. Yet Serena had still heard it, and her head tilted to the side in a slight bit of confusion. What did the Gate have to do with anything? Seamus was providing no answers, his eyes staring unblinking up ahead. "Come on. We've got a crime syndicate to take down."

That thought alone was surreal to Serena. They were just a ragtag group of seven, heading to an abandoned radio station on the slightest hint to fight an organization that was  _taking on the Pokémon League_. The idea seemed like sheer lunacy, but she knew no words would bring Ash out of it, not from the way he had been shaking at the sight of the attack. There was something in his bearing, in his voice: he had been here before. Thinking back, Serena realized that Ash was always ready to leap in and take on anyone who hurt people or Pokémon with no rhyme or reason. She had seen it in Ancien City, and earlier before in Terminus Cave. It was just Ash as he was, and she loved him…but sometimes she wanted to just hold him back from the path of an oncoming train.

What made the situation even more surreal was how chipper everyone but Seamus appeared to be. He, on the other hand, was in a surly mood the whole walk there, constantly running his hands through his hair. From time to time, Serena would throw a concerned look to him, but otherwise said nothing. They had been walking for about twenty minutes when suddenly Christopher stopped them short. Serena happened to bump into Clemont.

"What's wrong?" she asked, peeking her head around.

"No rushing in," he said quietly, pointing a finger ahead. Serena narrowed her eyes and peered into the brush. Before her eyes, she began to see slate gray laced with the green. Christopher and Bethany got on their knees and shuffled along. Taking that as a signal to follow suit, Serena ducked low into a crouch and continued along until they were hidden by a bush. "It looks abandoned, but we only have a single side showing."

"Okay, Talonflame, I choose you," Ash said quietly, clearly catching onto the vibe. Talonflame emerged from his pokeball on the ground. "Can you check out the station and look if there's anyone in it?"

"Flame," Talonflame acknowledged before flying through the trees to take a look above.

"So, now that we're here…how do we do this?" Ash asked. Everyone looked at him with vexation. After all his boasting and excitement, Ash was still Ash, charging ahead without thinking.

"Well, obviously I need to go inside to find the room where the signal is. If the place is abandoned for the most part, there should still be someone to watch over the signal," Clemont insisted.

"Sounds good to me. Why don't me, Clemont and Seamus head in while everyone else keeps guard outside?" Ash suggested. It was a surprisingly well-thought out strategy and Serena had to admit it would work. She didn't like the idea of Ash going in without her, though. She was about to articulate as such when Talonflame descended, shaking his head to indicate that there was no visible activity within the building. "All right, let's go."

"Right," Seamus said. He still seemed to be conflicted about something, but Serena could see he had regained some of the fire in his eyes.

"Good luck in there, guys," Bethany said. "We'll hold down the fort and rendezvous here."

"Be back soon. Serena, take care of Bonnie for me," Clemont said. Serena looked up at the bespectacled inventor, almost like she wasn't sure what he was asking. Her mind was elsewhere for a moment, stuck in a single second where Ash asked her to stay behind. "Serena?"

"Yeah, of course, Clemont. Be careful…" she said, trailing off a little. Ash had already moved on ahead. "Both of you…"

Before long, the three trainers had vanished beyond the brush in a crouch towards the radio station's entrance. Yet Serena, despite her words, couldn't summon forth the worry necessary for the situation. Not worry, or caution, or any of those kinds of emotions. No, she actually felt herself feeling…angry.

Ash was sidelining her, and she didn't like it one bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This chapter was tricky, I'll admit. I'm still not sure I did it the justice it deserved. There was a lot to set up with a LOT of dialogue to do it. Ugh! But I hope it all turned out. We have now established our villain, and right from the off: Dalton, the leader of Team Neo with his Delta Squad of which there are himself and Merle. Who else is part of Delta Squad? Are there other squads? That's information to be revealed as we go on…I really just wanted to do something different than last time by having the villain start their plan from the very beginning rather than the slow build. Alongside this, of course, I've introduced a different kind of conflict between Ash and Serena in their relationship: he's pushing her out of the way of being involved in conflict. How will this go for our still fledgling couple? Well, I know, and you'll have to wait and find out.
> 
> Now to answer a quick question that I seem to be getting from a lot of people: no, Team Flare will NOT be involved. I have no idea what the writers have planned for Flare, and I don't want to presume or step on its toes. Thus, it will only be Team Neo as my entirely original team.
> 
> I've been waiting to write this sequel for a while and your words make me so grateful to be doing so. In that case, until we meet again, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.


	3. A Raid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not as big a response this time, huh? That's okay! I still love seeing all of your theories on just what you think about the story and what will happen (especially since I know it all and can just stare at the screen smiling at your guesses). Enough of my rambling, let's get to what you all want: reading Chapter 3!

Chapter 3

A Raid

"The doors are locked," Clemont stated, explaining the rather obvious, even to someone like Ash. Not that he liked hearing the answer. To Ash, hearing that the doors to the radio station were locked was like saying they were giving up before they were even starting.

"Then we find a way in," Seamus said darkly. His eyes were staring ahead at something unseen to Ash. He wasn't worried about it, but the blond had seemed a bit off ever since the news of the summit attack had come to them.

"Right. Let's just pull out our Pokémon and bust through," Ash suggested, already reaching for his Hawlucha's pokeball. Clemont threw a hand out to stop him from doing so, shaking his head wildly. Ash listened, loosening his grip a little.

"We can't just charge in, Ash," Clemont told him sternly. Ash frowned, but otherwise completely understood Clemont's point. Despite being the kind of person who liked to go charging in, hoping to overwhelm the other team, he also recognized when some situations called for a stealthier approach. Like when Clembot had control over the Lumiose Gym…and now, of course.

"Okay. What do you have it mind?" Ash asked, scooting across the ground a little on his feet to get closer. Clemont didn't answer at first, his head swiveling back and forth on his shoulders. Eventually, though, he seemed to find something he was looking for, because he reached for his pokeballs and called Luxray and Chespin out.

"Chespin!" the Spiny Nut Pokémon exclaimed exuberantly. Clemont quickly headed that off by slapping his hand on his Pokémon's mouth, making shushing noises. Chespin just nodded, indicating that he had gotten the message.

"Luxray, can you use you X-Ray vision to see inside for us if there's a way to open the door?" Clemont asked, still keeping his hand on Chespin's mouth. Ash raised his eyebrows a little as Luxray padded forward slightly, his eyes gleaming at the metal door. He had to admit: Clemont was a genius. He would have never thought of using an interior route to get inside as quickly as he did. His skillset was relatively limited to that kind of quick thinking only when it came to battles.

"Ray!" Luxray barked out, indicating that there was something inside to get them in.

"Great," Clemont said, slightly patting Luxray's back as thanks. "Chespin, I need you to go inside through the air duct up there and open up the gates from there."

"Pin pin ches!" Chespin replied confidently, trotting along to the wall of the overgrown radio station. His vines extended out, almost blending in with the surface of the building, and reached the air duct, taking its covering off before snaking inside and securing itself around something.

"Pikachu, why don't you go with Chespin?" Ash asked of his best friend. "We don't want him to get into any trouble."

"Pi," came the anticipated response. With that Pikachu bounded over, grabbing onto Chespin just as the Grass type lifted them up and into the vent. Once they disappeared into the darkness of that small space, Clemont sat back. Luxray continued to keep a kind of vigil.

"Hey, Ash," called Clemont's voice about a minute after Pikachu and Chespin had left, "how come you didn't want Serena to join us? Sylveon's Protect could be pretty handy."

"Huh?" Ash asked. He didn't understand what Clemont was trying to imply to him. Seamus looked to not care either way, as he hadn't moved position even once. "Serena's over there."

"Yeah, but you kind of just told her to stay there and-"

"I thought it'd be best for the team if she guarded the outside and let us know if anyone was approaching," Ash answered him, cutting the inventor off. Where was this even coming from? Why was Clemont, of all people, questioning a decision about him and Serena? He'd never been in a relationship before. At the same time, though, it got Ash's mind thinking back…back to Ancien, and the Winding Woods.

He loved Serena; there was certainly no doubt about any of  _that_. Given the choice, he'd choose her over any girl, any day of the week. But there was something else about her that brought forth something foreign. Well, not foreign. It had always been there, but certainly not this strong. The Winding Woods, that had all but clinched it. When she ran into that snowstorm for  _him_. When she could have very well been risking her life for  _him_ …When he could have lost her. Sure, he was more than happy she had snapped him out of his funk and cared and loved him enough to go looking for him, but that fear of losing her to even the slightest thing…it gripped him far too tightly.

He couldn't stand it, either.

He couldn't stand feeling like he might lose something that would rip away a very part of him. It would be like Pikachu or any other one of his Pokémon dying. Even contemplating it was heart wrenching. Ash didn't want to experience that…so putting her far away from danger was for the best. He wouldn't tell Clemont that, though.

A loud clanking noise was heard and the doors to the radio station slid open, granting access into the inner sanctum of the building. Framed at the bottom of the doorway were Pikachu and Chespin. They were in.

"Great job, guys," Ash told them, affixing a smile back to his face. Pikachu tilted his head, like he seemed to notice something was on his trainer's mind. Yet as he hopped back on Ash's shoulder, the raven-haired trainer just kept his smile and said nothing. "Are you still tracking that signal, Clemont?"

"Yeah, it's further in," the inventor answered him. Seamus appeared to nod, satisfied with the information, before striding brazenly through the doors and into the building. Ash and Clemont quickly made steps to keep up with the rather miffed trainer. "I designed the monitor to let off a low-pitched whine when we get super close to the source of the signal. There doesn't seem to be many people here, so whoever is putting that signal out, likely this Dalton, should be inside."

Ash didn't respond, his eyes glued to Seamus' back as they strode through the abandoned halls. His body had seemed to tense at the name, Dalton, just the same way it had back at his house. Ash was no expert of human body language, but he could tell something was bothering Seamus immensely. Clemont was frowning too, though he wasn't sure if it was because of his own lack of interest or because of Seamus as well. Nevertheless, the trio and their Pokémon continued through the abandoned halls.

Vines had grown over the halls, breaking in through some high up windows, and various ceiling lights were flickering erratically. To Clemont, it seemed this proved that the station had seen signs of use recently; why else would the lights be on? Ash was more interested in how empty the place felt, like an air of depression sat upon it. Something was very sad about it…he wasn't quite sure how to describe it.

The beeping from Clemont's device sounded out, indicating that they were getting close to their destination. It only continued to increase in frequency as they went along until they were approaching an old, rusted black door. The paint was peeling off of it, and it seemed like a lock was placed on it. However, it appeared that the lock was shiny and new, in complete contrast to what the rest of the door looked like. Suddenly, the beeping cut out.

"What? Why is it…?" the lemon blond questioned, turning his invention over before banging on its backside.

"Pikapi…" Pikachu said warningly, and Ash got the message. He grabbed Seamus and stepped back a few feet before Clemont's invention exploded. When the smoke from it cleared, Clemont appeared to be crying.

"And it was working so well, too…" he whined. Ash just pat him on the back comfortingly. He knew he'd get there someday. After all, science was really amazing. Seamus also stepped forward to check the lock on the door.

"Looks like we can't get in," he said, banging the lock violently back on the door.

"No problem. Pikachu, use Iron Tail," he said, looking at his buddy on his shoulder. Pikachu nodded fiercely and then leapt off. His tail glowed before slamming on the lock and cutting it cleanly open. "We're in."

"Excellent. I'm most interested to see what kind of signal emission setting they have…" Clemont's voice died in his throat as Seamus pushed open the door. None of it was what they expected.

There was no one inside the room. All that seemed to be in the relatively small space, just enough to fit two people, were about five monitors, each displaying something different on the screen, and a bunch of blinking little lights. Ash didn't quite know what to make of all of it. The darkness of the room certainly made it seem creepy, but there also didn't seem to be any light switch to be found. Acknowledging this, Ash and Pikachu headed into the room to see just what was on the screens. On one of them looked to be the footage of what had taken place at the League Summit, as though it were being followed. Another was of a darkened room with the outline of a chair. The other three, however, were of the radio station itself: in particular, the room they were standing in, the entrance and…where Serena and the others were.

His heart clenched in worry. Were she and the others being watched?

"Incredible…" Clemont breathed, giving him no time to ponder his distressing thought. "They've set up a very smart relay system that sent out the signal that broadcasted through multiple proxy stations so they didn't have to be anywhere near it. Quite the ingenious invention."

"What are you, a fan of Team Neo? Where's Dalton?" Seamus snapped angrily. Ash folded his arms with a frown at Seamus speaking to Clemont that way.

"Not here," Clemont said simply. Seamus looked ready to retort with a rather biting comment, but Clemont continued on before he could. "I can definitely find him if we download some of the information from the hard drives connected to these monitors, but it will take time. Needless to say, he's not in the building."

"Just hurry up and do it," the blond uttered darkly.

"Hey, let's just calm down," Ash said, trying to prevent a messy situation before it could start. "You guys take care of that sciency thing and Pikachu and I will investigate the rest of the station."

"Sounds good. Meet back here." Ash just gave Clemont a thumbs up at this situation and backed out from the cramped room, which felt like more of a janitor's closet than anything.

"Ready to do some exploring, Pikachu?"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu confirmed. Glad to have his best friend's approval, Ash turned down the rest of the hall they hadn't explored and continued along. As he walked, that feeling of sadness continued to multiply inside him. Wallpaper was peeling off and small wires here and there were sparking, adding to the ominous, yet somber, feel. Even Pikachu was shivering on his shoulder, which no amount of reassuring scratching would take care of. A sudden clanking noise interrupted his musings. "Pika?"

"Uh…probably just a Rattata," Ash chuckled out. Another skittering noise was heard, and Ash looked up right before small shard of glass came scattering downward. Ash stepped back a little and a small Zigzagoon fell into his arms. "See? Are you okay?"

"Zagoon!" the Pokémon cried out happily before bounding down from Ash's arms and scampering off. Ash smiled, watching it go before he continued their trek through the station. A pair of glass doors were approaching, and in the dimly lit air, Ash could make out a pair of microphones. That must have been the original broadcasting room. His feet crunching over some other broken glass, Ash approached the doors and pushed them open with a squeak.

"Wow…it's like looking at the past, Pikachu," he breathed out. Pikachu nodded a little as they stepped further into the room. It looked disheveled now, like someone had left in a hurry a long time ago. Pencils and papers were scattered across the floor and one of the microphones, now that he was close up, was bent at an odd angle. Another crunch was heard under Ash's foot and he stepped back, realizing he had stepped on a photo. The raven haired trainer bent down and picked it up, brushing the broken glass off to see the dusty and faded picture inside. There were two people, a man and a woman, and even though he couldn't see their faces he could tell they were happy, a Litleo smiling at the camera with them. Like everything else in the station, the picture filled him with sadness.

"You feel it, too, then?" said a lonely voice. It took Ash a moment to realize there was a voice speaking, and another to realize it was speaking to him. Pikachu leapt down, cheeks sparking as Ash whipped around to see a man standing there. It was hard to tell in the dim light, but he could see a rather older man with tired and sad eyes. "That picture was taken almost seven years ago now."

"Was it yours?" Ash asked. The man didn't answer, but he did step into the light, his hands reaching forward to pry the picture gingerly from Ash's grasp. In the ray of light filtering into the room, Ash could see the clothes he was wearing with an A and an X on his skintight suit. That looked uncomfortably familiar.

"Thank you," the man said, running his fingers over the photo. Then he dropped it and grabbed a pokeball. "And goodbye."

Ash wanted to open his mouth to say something, but there was a sudden burst of light and a Doublade appeared. He barely had a moment to duck before the Sword Pokémon flew at him and impaled itself against something in the room. The room was suddenly cast in a red glow and a loud klaxon alarm sounded out, causing Pikachu to cover his sensitive ears. However, the red light also afforded Ash an opportunity to look at the man: a bald, older man wearing a pair of glasses that had a cross shape for the bridge. That was all Ash had the time to take in as it appeared slots in the ceiling were opening up and Electrodes and Magnetons were dropping from them…and aiming for him.

"Pikachu, use Counter Shield!" Ash quickly ordered. He had a  _really_  bad feeling about this. Pikachu spun around, getting on his back, and he let off a Thunderbolt around the area that even Ash felt tingle through his skin. He wasn't entirely sure how much it affected the other Electric types in the room, but it was enough to provide some sort of distraction. It was certainly enough for the man to escape. Ash decided to take that very suggestion, bending down to scoop Pikachu up in his arms as he began pelting full speed down the hallway.

The Pokémon were following him.

"Hawlucha, I choose you!" Ash cried, throwing a pokeball out. Hawlucha quickly emerged from it with a great pose of victory. "Beat them back with Karate Chop and X-Scissor!"

"Lucha!" Hawlucha exclaimed, pouncing forward as his fist slammed into a rolling Electrode. It rolled back like a bowling ball into the other oncoming Pokémon, providing a short reprieve. Not that it mattered much, because they kept coming. "Lucha haw!"

"What? !" Ash yelled, whipping around to see that wasn't the only direction that the Pokémon were coming from. They were practically  _everywhere_. Only one thought really screamed to Ash in his head:  _get back to Clemont and Seamus_. "Let's go, guys!"

"Pika!" his companion called, leaping from Ash's arms once again to speed them along the hallway. Hawlucha kept up the rear as they sprinted down the hallway. The open door with the glow coming from it was fast approaching.

"Clemont! Hurry up!" Ash yelled, barely avoiding a Magneton spinning at him with a Gyro Ball. Clemont popped his head outside the room, and at their distance, Ash could see his eyes widening.

"Just finished! Let's get out of here," Clemont said. He seemed to yank something out forcibly and put it in the pocket of his jumpsuit while he and Seamus stepped out of the room. The other blond looked around, particularly towards the entrance and grimaced.

"I don't think we're getting out of here…those Electric types look pretty angry," he said distastefully.

"Then we fight all of them," Ash said, planting his feet defiantly. Pikachu and Hawlucha shared the sentiment, which appeared to exasperate Seamus. The boy looked like he wanted to throttle Ash for suggesting such a thing.

"Don't worry guys, as an Electric type Gym Leader on this journey, I've decided to invent something to help with this," Clemont said. "The future is-"

"Just hurry it up or we'll be deep fried by giant pokeballs!" Seamus yelled again. Clemont looked a little sheepish but pulled out a small remote with two antennas. He flicked a switch on it and electricity crackled between the ends of the antennas. Then he pressed a button.

The effect was almost instantaneous. A tingle ran up Ash's spine, even Hawlucha and Pikachu felt it (well, Pikachu moreso) and it almost looked like a current of some kind of electricity washed over the area. All too quickly, the Electric types collapsed, as though they themselves were entirely paralyzed. That seemed to be the end of that…until he heard the footsteps.

"There's too much sadness here…too much pain…" said that somber voice of the man he'd met in the broadcasting room. "So, let's get rid of it."

All that was heard next was a snap. Ash slowly turned to try and catch a glimpse of the man once more, but couldn't; he was already gone. Then the area glowed white.

"Pikapi! Pikachu chu chu chu!" Pikachu jabbered out, pointing to the Electrode at their feet.

"Oh no…" his voice said, mouth dropping open. The Electrode were the ones glowing white…which could only mean that they were about to use Explosion. "We gotta get outta here!"

"Luxray, let's get moving!" Clemont commanded, patting Luxray on the head. Luxray nodded and all three of the trainers hopped onto it. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon appeared to struggle a little under the weight, but set off at a quick pace. Hawlucha and Pikachu were running alongside it, each going as fast as they could. Ash felt his fists clenching, staring at the bright portal of light that was their ticket out of the radio station. It felt like it was getting further away…and the light was getting too bright.

"We won't make it," Seamus stated. That much had grown obvious. The blond reached down and grabbed a pokeball. "Alakazam, get these Electrode away from us!"

"Kazam!' Alakazam said, its whole body glowing blue, along with the Electrode. With a great heave of the spoons in its hands, Alakazam sent the Electrode flying away from anywhere near them. Seconds later came the distinct feeling of the explosion going off.

Ash breathed. They were safe.

Then the rumbling started and the roof at the entrance started coming down.

* * *

The rumbling was what Serena felt first. Bonnie capitulated to the side and the Performer was forced to catch her from her fall. Overhead, flocks of Pidgeys and Fletchlings took to the air to escape whatever was coming. Whatever it was, it couldn't be anything good. Knowing this, Serena decided that it was no longer time to keep hiding and she stood, bringing Bonnie up with her.

"It sounds like it's coming from the radio station," Christopher commented.

Instantly, Serena's heart dropped. If the rumbling was indeed coming from the station, and Ash was inside…Nothing else mattered. Not her anger at being sidelined, or being kept away from Ash. All that mattered was that he was inside and had the potential of being seriously hurt if that building was to collapse in on him…oh, and Clemont, too, but she figured Bonnie had enough for worry for him on her own.

Half of her wanted to stay put and continue keeping guard, just as Ash had asked her to. The more logical and emotional side of her told her that was no longer necessary and that she should run to Ash. So, that was what she did, running straight for the direction that the boys had set off in earlier.

"Serena! Hold on!" Bethany yelled, but her cries fell on deaf ears. Right now, the only thing that mattered was getting to Ash. She didn't know what she could do to help, but she certainly knew that she could do something.

"Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, help me out," Serena cried, tossing her pokeballs into the air. Her three faithful Pokémon emerged and continued to keep pace with her, each of them glancing at their trainer in worry. It didn't take long for the group of them to reach the outside of the radio station.

The rumbling had increased significantly, to the point that Serena could hardly retain her own balance. Braixen seemed to be doing a better job, holding onto her trainer to make sure that no one fell over. Thankfully, the jittering that her body was undergoing didn't prevent her from seeing inside. She only wished she hadn't. Stones at the entrance were starting to crumble and Serena could tell that the roof was starting to collapse.

"Cham!" Pancham called out, pointing his stubby arm towards the interior of the radio station. Serena squinted her eyes as best as she could and happened to notice shining eyes in the near distance. Her heart clenched with both relief and terror; the shining eyes were likely Luxray's, but they were clearly still trapped inside the building.

"Tyrantrum," yelled Christopher's voice as he came running up. From out of his pokeball emerged the giant Pokémon he had used back on the first day of the Kalos Team Tournament. "Use your head and stop that debris from falling."

"You guys help out, too," Serena told her Pokémon. Pancham was the first to acknowledge her order, flipping up on top of Tyrantrum. As soon as he got within range of the falling stones, he quickly used Arm Thrust to break them to pieces. Serena moved a little past Tyrantrum to see how close the others were getting. A stone nearly fell on top of her, but she managed to side step it as Braixen blasted it apart with a Fire Blast. "Thanks, Braixen."

"Brai," Braixen concurred. That disaster averted, Serena tried to judge how much distance there was between her and Ash. However, as she was no scientist and wasn't able to quite judge it with all the dust, she instead turned her mind to other things.

"Where's Bethany?" she asked of Christopher. The burly trainer looked around at the question, and his eyes seemed to widen.

"Beth!" Serena finally cast her gaze in the same direction and noticed that Bethany was currently evading a rather vicious Doublade, not even having the chance to take her pokeballs out.

"Just get them out. I can handle it!" Bethany snapped back. Christopher looked a little conflicted but nodded. Serena, on the other hand, felt she had to choose: rescue Ash or help Bethany. Neither choice was preferable, given what she'd have to let go of…but she also knew the only right choice.

"Braixen, use Flamethrower on Doublade! Sylveon, use Fairy Wind!" Serena called out. Sylveon leapt over a fallen log and whipped her feelers around, the pink-dusted wind aiming for the pair of swords that made up Doublade. Braixen also responded with a jet of flame issuing forth from her wand. Serena gripped her vest a little. She couldn't worry. She had to trust that Ash would make it out. Convincing herself of this fact, she ran across the mossy ground to join Bethany at her side. The turquoise-haired trainer finally had the opportunity to take her pokeball out and send out her Cacturne.

"I can see this leaves my Doublade outnumbered…" echoed a voice around the area. Serena pulled to a stop and found both herself and Bethany glancing around. "Truth be told, I just wanted to see the kind of choice you'd make. Very interesting…Doublade, Shadow Sneak…"

"Get ready!" Bethany cried out. Serena's body was brought into a rigid defensive stance that her Pokémon emulated. Yet nothing happened. Doublade melted into shadow…and disappeared. It all left Serena standing there and feeling quite silly. Bethany was the first to relax. "What was that about?"

 _I just wanted to see the kind of choice you'd make_ …The words were so enigmatic, and chilling. Pondering on them, Serena finally realized just what she'd left behind. "Ash!"

"Hurry, Serena! Hurry!" Bonnie was crying. The honey-blonde Performer whipped around and pelted straight back towards the entrance. Pancham was looking tired, and even Tyrantrum seemed to be weighed down by the rocks pouring on its head. Bonnie was kneeling on the ground, like she was hugging herself. Serena wanted to hug her back, to let her know everything was okay, but even her own heart wasn't so sure. She had to do what she could, though.

"Sylveon, use Fairy Wind! Hold those rocks up for just a little longer!" Serena ordered desperately. Sylveon grimaced, as if drawing forth all her power, and sent the pink dusting outward like a gale. The force made Serena's dress ripple, but it was all she could do at the moment. The rocks stopped their descent, if only for a second, before they began to fall again. Serena closed her eyes.

"Luxray, use Wild Charge!" Clemont's voice carried to her. From beyond her eyelids, Serena could sense a bright light and they snapped open. The rocks suddenly burst outward violently. Serena grabbed Bonnie and rolled the two of them away just as Luxray, his body cloaked in electricity, blasted through the loose piling of rubble, all three of the male trainers atop him. Realizing that the building was truly about to come down, Serena whipped her pokeballs out and called all of her Pokémon back. Christopher and Bethany had done the same and the entire group was running away from the collapsing radio station.

Her sides were in stitches from the exertion of carrying Bonnie and running, but Serena didn't stop, keeping pace with a still charging Luxray. In fact, she had absolutely no idea how far they had run before they stopped. All she knew was that the ground shook one more time before all was silent, indicating that the radio station had finally crumbled. The other thing she knew was that Nova Town was quite visible. Finally, Serena dropped Bonnie and fell to the ground.

"We made it…" she gasped out, like she was coming up for air. In a way, she was.

"Serena! Are you okay?" Ash's voice suddenly hit her. Before she knew it, Ash's arms were wrapped around her. She couldn't help but smile at that and hugged him back.

"That's my line, Ash," she told him. "You threw yourself into a reckless situation again."

"It's not like I expected that guy to send a bunch of Electrode after us," Ash protested, drawing back with a relieved expression. She watched as his eyes traveled over her body, presumably to make sure that she was okay. Serena was less focused on his actions and more on his words.

"A guy? You met him, too?"

"Uh, I guess…older guy, bald, wearing one of those Team Neo jumpsuits?"

"We didn't…see his face," Bethany grunted as she was helped to her feet by Christopher. Seeing that must have given Ash an idea because he stood and offered his own hand to Serena to pull her up. Serena lightly pecked him on the cheek as thanks. He continually kept his eyes on her.

"Whoever he was, I still think this was the dumbest idea I've ever taken part of in a long time," Seamus said, dusting his own clothes off. Clemont was also up, the last of the group to be so, and Bonnie was hugging him around his midsection.

"Not a total waste, though," he said proudly. "I have enough data here that I should be able to use the Pokémon Center's equipment to track where they were routing the signal from and find the true source." Serena frowned; clearly Team Neo hadn't holed up inside that radio station but had still thought enough ahead to place explosives of some sort. It was almost like they had expected them to go there.

"Fine. Go ahead and track it, but let's actually tell the real authorities this time," Seamus said bitterly, turning his back to them as he began to stalk back towards the town. "I'm done."

"Seamus, stop acting like something crawled up your butt already," Bethany scolded him. Seamus didn't look back at them, so the girl began storming forward angrily. Realizing that they'd lose the pair of them, the entire group began to try and keep pace (Clemont less than the others). "This was our town. We had to do something. I don't know why you've been such a Krabby lately, but why don't you trust in your friends more."

"Mind your own business, Beth!" Seamus yelled. He didn't stop, or turn back, but he may as well have been spitting fire from the way that Bethany suddenly stopped. "Go on and play heroes. I'm not interested. I've met my hero quota for the year. I prefer living, thanks."

With those final words, he stomped out of the forest and back through one of the Gates into town. Bethany continued to stand there, almost shocked that he had lashed at her so liberally. Christopher was the first at her side, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. Still behind them, Serena saw Bethany's shoulder start to shake, like she wanted to cry…She couldn't have been further from the truth.

"That blasted idiot!" Bethany screeched, even louder than Seamus' own yell had been. "Who does he think he is? We're supposed to be friends, but he's just the same as ever!"

"He's just stressed, same as the rest of us," Christopher pointed out wisely. Bethany didn't seem to share that view, because she shrugged off his hand.

"I don't care," she snapped at him, rolling up her sleeves. "He agreed, like we all did, to take a different road. Now he's too busy being stuck in his own head to remember that. So, I'll just make him remember…by punching him in the face a few times."

"Not a good ide…there she goes," Christopher lamented. Meanwhile, his girlfriend sped ahead into the town. Emitting a sigh, he followed right after her. This left only their little traveling group alone to make the short walk back into town.

"I hope she doesn't actually, you know, punch him," Clemont said worriedly. Even Serena had to let off a nervous laugh at that one. Ash said nothing, which was surprising in and of itself, electing instead to take Serena's hand as they passed the Gate into town. As soon as they hit the marketplace, Bonnie grabbed Clemont's arm.

"Come on, Clemont! Let's track that signal!" she said ecstatically. Then she burst forward with speed hardly fitting a girl her age. Poor Clemont was left to trail along behind her, not even able to give a proper goodbye.

"And then there were three," Serena said quietly. Ash nodded while Pikachu jumped to the ground and headed for one of the nearby stands. The honey-blonde assumed he had smelled ketchup, and by the time they had caught up, she had seen she was right. Knowing Pikachu would probably be a while, Serena decided now was as good a time as any to talk to Ash. "Hey, Ash?"

"What's up?" Ash asked, emitting that usual exuberant smile at her. She felt her heart speed up, as it always did when he did that. No matter how long they had been dating, those little things happened to still thrill her, and she viewed that as a good thing. It made asking her question, and talking to him about this all the harder, though.

"Why did you make me stay outside?" she quickly said. It was better to rip the Band-Aid off. Ash blinked a few times, and she figured that maybe he hadn't understood the question. "I mean, I can fight, can't I? We fought together during the Ancien Debacle…so why did you leave me to keep guard?"

"I didn't…I'm not…" Ash was stammering, like he was looking for the best words to explain himself. "Nothing. I have no idea what you're talking about, Serena."

"You're lying," she said sternly, leaning in a little. "You're a horrible liar, Ash."

"I'm not lying, Serena," he then said defensively. It hurt her a little. She didn't want to have a fight with him, not so soon after their actual first fight (which had admittedly lasted for all of five minutes). But this was an issue she wasn't going to back down from. She even opened her mouth to make certain that he knew that. "Anyway, Pikachu, let's get training for the Kalos League!"

"Pika…" Pikachu complained, but finished licking his paws of ketchup before running off with Ash. Serena's face twisted into an uncharacteristic scowl and the sound of her voice died in her throat. Her boyfriend had disappeared within practical seconds.

"Aaaagh!" she finally screamed, a full minute after he was gone. Crossing her arms around herself, and setting that scowl deep onto her face, Serena began stomping into town. She loved Ash, but sometimes he could be so stubborn…and not in the good way. This was one of those moments. "All he has to do is admit that he sidelined me, but nooooo…I'd be fine with it if he wasn't so uncharacteristically subtle about it. I can fight, too, can't I?"

"Talking to yourself, Serena?" The sudden question from Bethany made Serena finally realize that she had, in fact, been talking to herself. She also realized that she was quite the distance from the marketplace, having turned down an alley she had never been down before.

"Uh…I thought you were going after Seamus," Serena attempted to change the subject. Bethany, who had been sitting in a corner of the alley, shrugged a little.

"Meh, I lost him. That and I'm pretty sure Christopher would have dragged me home if I tried, so I hid from him down here," the girl admitted. "So, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing," the honey-blonde answered warily. She wasn't about to share her relationship problems (if they could be termed that) with anyone else. This was very much something for her and Ash to work out on their own. And they would. She had no doubt about that.

"Well, whatever. It's none of  _my_  business," Bethany indicated. She jerked her head and Serena realized she was being led out of the alleyway. "If I were to take a guess, though…I'd say Ash is worried about losing you."

"What?" That suggestion had certainly come from nowhere. Bethany fell into step beside her.

"Guys have this thing where they feel really protective," Bethany said with a wave of her hand. "Chris was the same way for a bit…well, maybe not to the extent Ash is. Anyway, he had this issue with letting me into dangerous situations. I'm not sure if it's a macho guy thing or if there's this genuine fear they just don't want to talk about. Whatever it is, it's nothing to worry about."

"You're sure?" Serena asked. True, Bethany's words were alleviating her anger just a little bit, but she still wasn't entirely sure she could trust the words of a girl who had about as much experience with relationships as she did. At the question, Bethany stopped and faced her seriously.

"Ash knows you can fight. Heck, from what I hear, part of his love confession was about you fighting by his side," the girl stressed. Serena's eyes widened, wondering where she had heard that. Of course, there was only one thought:  _Bonnie…_ She'd have to have a talk with that girl later. "Point is: Ash isn't worried that you can't protect yourself; he's more worried that  _he_  won't be able to protect you…probably."

"Then why doesn't he just tell me?"

"Guys are guys?" was the suggestion. "Don't look at me. I've had a crush on Chris since we were-"

"There…you…are…" called Clemont's huffing voice. Ironically, Serena heard his voice long before she saw him actually come trudging up the pathway. Bonnie was preceding him with a look of absolute exasperation. "I was looking for Ash, but I couldn't find him."

"Oh? Did you find where the signal is coming from?" Serena asked. Clemont, clearly exhausted from the day's running, practically collapsed at Serena's feet. While Bonnie was busy shrugging at her brother's uselessness for a moment, Serena took the kinder route and helped him up. Once she had, Bonnie decided to talk.

"He sure did!"

"Great. You're really fast at this kind of stuff. Then I guess we should contact some kind of authority, yeah?" Bethany suggested. Serena nodded a little; that had been the revised plan they had agreed upon. "So, where is it, anyway?"

"It's moving, actually," Clemont said with a little huff, like he was proud of just how much he had figured out. "I found out through the information that the coordinates of the signal are constantly moving, but it  _is_  along a trajectory."

"So you can track whatever cities are in its path, right?" Serena questioned. Clemont smiled triumphantly. "Great, where is it heading?"

"Well, given the trajectory and the extrapolation I performed, I believe it's heading-"

Then a missile suddenly struck Nova Town in a blistering explosion.

* * *

Siebold was devastated. His restaurant was in ruins. The tables were upturned. The tablecloths were sullied. Worst of all, however, was that his customers, waiters and their Pokémon were all lying on the ground, wounded. Some of them were crying out for help, and the Elite Four member wished desperately to help them. He wanted to assure each of them that everything was okay.

He couldn't.

His body couldn't move, trapped underneath a rather large table. He couldn't even move his hand at the moment to reach his pokeballs. It was disgraceful, for such a member of the Elite Four to be so helpless in such a moment.

"Monsieur Siebold, are you all right?" called one of the waiters, a broken spindle of a chair driving into his leg. Siebold hardly thought the man should have wasted his time asking.

"I am fine," he responded with a grunt. Oh, how he wished he could move! It had all happened so fast, like a hurricane. One moment he had been serving a rather elderly gentleman a rather exquisite bouillabaisse…then it was like the world had come to an end. Some of the wait staff and customers collapsed before the entire restaurant was blasted inward. Tables and chairs flying around haphazardly, splinters of wood being tossed every which way. Then he was trapped, unable to do so much as breathe without there being some pain.

The worst part of all of it was that he should have expected it. He should have seen it coming ever since news of the attack on the League Summit had reached his ears. Yet he hadn't, so consumed in his own world of cooking. The sound of wings reached his ears and a Salamence burst through the broken window of his restaurant, a lone figure standing atop it. Once they were inside the restaurant, said figure leapt off and approached him.

"No! Leave here, now! I will  _not_  serve your kind!" Siebold said defiantly, though he realized how empty those words echoed in his current position. The person finally reached him and bent down. Then they forcibly grabbed his necktie and dragged him up a little.

"I've only come for this," they said ominously, their voice distorted by the mask they were wearing, completely obscuring their gender. With force, they ripped his necktie, containing his keystone, off his body and held it up to light. "Just two to go."

"No…" Siebold breathed out as the individual let go of him and let his body fall once more. "What kind of dish of despair are you planning to cook for this world?"

The figure paused in their retreat, before looking back with what Siebold could only assume was a curious expression under the mask. Pocketing his necktie, the individual once more approached him. "Don't worry. When you wake up, you'll find it was all just a dream."

Then he knocked the Elite Four member out with a swift kick to the head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Whoo! This was a more action packed chapter after the slower ones that came before, but of a different kind of action variety than I usually write. Nevertheless, the plot is thickening as Team Neo continues to make their move. I've introduced another character and I've developed things a little further while leaving you on quite the cliffhanger. But I guess you'll have to wait and see how that is solved. Beyond that, I'm not sure how much there is to say. I do hope you're enjoying it though and can see it all flowing in a logical direction.
> 
> I'm enjoying delivering all of this for you in so many ways, and I hope you'll continue to enjoy it as well! In the meantime, do please Review, and Dare to Be Silly.


	4. An Invasion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not entirely sure what to say here, but this chapter is rather serious. Don't worry, though: even if the story is rated T, it's not like I'm going bloody or anything. With that said, time for Chapter 4!

Chapter 4

An Invasion

Dust swirled everywhere, choking any attempt that Serena tried to make in taking a breath. Any little motion of trying to breathe in that she made, resulted in a cough that kept her bent over the paved stones of the road. Her hands clenched at them, bruising just a little, but eventually she finally managed to get the coughing under control. Her throat still burned, though. That fact was indisputable.

"G…Guys?" she rasped out, barely able to articulate amongst all the dust and dirt in the air. Not hearing an answer, Serena decided to try and stand. That turned out to be a rather bad idea. Blood rushed to her head and dizziness set in, forcing her to practically pitch to the side and slam into the side of a building. At least her head hadn't hit the ground; that would have been worse.

Serena waited for the dizzy spell to fade from her head, taking deep breaths to ensure that her heartbeat could calm down. It wasn't like she hadn't been in a situation just like this before only two months ago. However, that time, she wasn't so alone. The dust around her was clearing a little, allowing Serena to notice her surroundings. Even though she had been next to Bethany, Clemont and Bonnie, the three of them were nowhere to be seen on the street. Sounds of screams were coming from the marketplace, along with a thick plume of smoke.

Pushing away from the building, Serena put one foot in front of another to get to the marketplace. She was worried about the three of them, but she was also concerned for the people that were clearly caught up in the attack. Clemont had certainly been right: Team Neo had been on the move…directly for Nova Town. Of course, how that was possible, she was unsure. To that thought, Serena raised her gaze to the rooftops. Shingles of the rooves were blasted away, even if the homes themselves were very much intact. Some of the houses closer to the marketplace seemed to have been set on fire from the strike, but there were also some shapes moving in the dust that seemed to be putting out water to douse the flames.

Voices nearby could be heard over the clamor, and Serena finally had the sense to grab Braixen's pokeball and toss it, calling her faithful partner to her side. She couldn't walk through this whole thing alone. Once Braixen was out and reading the situation swiftly, Serena went back to looking at the sky. She had seen something odd there before; something out of place. Scanning over the rooftops, Serena tried to ignore the slate gray tiles and the weird mess that looked like a cream-colored balloon on one of them, straight towards the sky.

"Brai…" Braixen gasped out, having obviously emulated her and seen the same thing that she had seen.

An airship was hovering above the marketplace in Nova Town, its whirring engines sending a very low pitched whine across the entire area. Details couldn't exactly be made out from where she was at the moment, but from what the honey-blonde Performer could tell, the airship was big enough to almost eclipse the entire marketplace. More than that, it looked like it had some kind of cannon ports on the side of it. That was one mystery solved. Unfortunately, a new threat was very quickly emerging in the form of uniformed men rappelling down from the airship on ropes and into the marketplace. She had to find the others, quick.

"Ash! Clemont! Bonnie! Bethany!" she yelled out, coughing a little as her mouth caught a quick blowback of dust. No one answered, and her heart clenched in worry. This could  _not_  be happening. And why here of all places? "Come on, Braixen, let's search further in."

"Braixen brai," her starter agreed, holding a lit stick aloft to help them see through the still billowing dust cloud. As they inched closer to the marketplace, the screams were growing louder, and Serena could swear to hearing what sounded like a panicking Team Rocket, but she chalked  _that_  up to the stress of the situation.

"Serena, is that you?" called a voice. Only it sounded like it was coming from above. Serna turned her head upwards and smiled when she saw Ash on top of a roof with Pikachu. Her boyfriend quickly ran to the edge and effortlessly slid down a drainpipe. She, too, ran towards him and they quickly embraced. Serena clasped at the back of Ash's jacket, glad that he was okay and out of harm's way for the moment. "I'm glad you're all right."

"You, too. Have you seen Clemont or Bonnie?" Serena asked worriedly. Those worries increased when both Ash and Pikachu shook their heads.

"You don't know what's going on, do you? Because I'm pretty lost. One moment I'm training near the Pokémon Center, and the next I'm blown back into an alley along with a bunch of others. If it weren't for Pikachu shocking me, I might not have gotten up so quickly," Ash laughed out. It was a little disconcerting to see him treating this thing so lightly, but at the same time, Serena could only guess that it was Ash's way of holding back the tension.

"No, I don't know. I was talking with Clemont and the others when I think a…missile? I'm not sure what it was, but it hit the marketplace, I think. Next thing I knew, I was alone," she told him, drawing back finally to take in the full scope of Ash and make sure that he was really okay. "And, thank you, Pikachu."

"Pika?" the electric mouse asked with a tilting head.

"You helped Ash get up, and since it looks like someone's attacking the city, he may have just laid there until someone like me had arrived to do CPR," Serena said, scratching Ash's best friend behind the ears. Pikachu seemed to enjoy it, but Ash's eyes were gazing elsewhere, like they were seeing something far beyond what she could see. "Ash, what's wrong?"

"I don't know…" he said, his face frowning. Serena heard a skittering noise, and with her body and senses already on high alert, she and Braixen turned in its direction to see a troupe of men dashing across the roof.

"There he is!" one of them yelled. Ash finally turned in their direction as they began to toss pokeballs containing Koffing out.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled, pointing forward at them. Serena wouldn't let him handle this battle alone.

"Braixen, Flamethrower!" Braixen and Pikachu both moved forward. From Braixen's wand came a spurt of flame that combined with Pikachu's raging strike of lightning. The incoming Koffing had no room to dodge and were blasted backward by the attacks into their trainers, where it exploded on the roofs. The damage to the town's infrastructure was lamentable, but those trainers had been gotten out of the way when they fell through the roof. Now Serena was convinced that the town was truly under attack.

"Serena, stay here," Ash suddenly said sternly.

Inside, Serena began to huff angrily at his suggestion. Outwardly, however, she simply said, "Ash, I can fight by your side. There's no reason for me to stay behind."

"I-I know that," he said. On the ground, Pikachu was shaking his head in admonishment. "Just…we need to find everyone, and it's best if we have one person staying in the same spot in order to reunite. I'll go look for everyone, so you stay here, okay?"

"Ash…" she grumbled, but her boyfriend was hardly in a state to listen. He was agitated, and he was determined. When those two things combined in Ash, it meant he was no longer listening. Sure enough, seconds later, he and Pikachu were setting off for the marketplace. "What do I do, Braixen? He just doesn't want to listen."

"Braixen…" the Fox Pokémon concurred. That didn't help Serena much, so she opted for folding her arms and standing there, alone. Now sounds of battle had broken out over the sounds of screaming, indicating that some of the citizens of Nova Town had begun to fight back. Still, Serena was entirely unaware of just who their foe truly was…and that wasn't a good thing. For all she knew, the others could be in real danger. "Braix!"

"What is it?" Serena asked of her partner. It didn't take long for her to receive her answer as the crunch of footsteps was heard over all other sounds. Braixen appeared to be facing in the direction of them, which gave Serena the perfect guide of where to turn to. At first, she just heard the sound, but didn't see anything. Then, she smelled it. She didn't need the visual guide to guess at what was approaching.

"Please stand down, miss," called a familiar voice through the swirling dust and chaos. "I have no wish to fight children. And children should have no wish to fight us."

"Then why are you planning to attack children?" Serena asked bitingly. Finally, the man arrived in view and Serena had her suspicions confirmed. Standing before her was the man she had met earlier with his styled purple hair and a Skuntank at his side. "You're Team Neo, right?"

"Yes," was the simple answer. Serena felt her hair stand up on the back of her neck. This man was frightening, unlike anything she'd ever faced before, and that was saying something. Every bone in her body was telling her to run, but her feet wouldn't move, all of her senses beginning to lock up. He may have only had a Skuntank, but his tone and body language belied a man that could easily match her without batting an eye. It was a good thing Braixen was already at her side. "I am Tau, of Alpha Squad."

"That can't be your real name?" Serena questioned. Tau shrugged, indicating that it didn't matter to him what she thought. Skuntank continued to approach, the smell increasing and making her head a little light headed. Even Braixen looked affected. Serena's steps went back a little bit, and then her eyes snapped open. She was falling into a trap from that smell.

"Snarl," Tau ordered. Skuntank reared back on its hind legs and then slammed down, sending a rippling wave of dark energy along the ground. Serena tried to react, but even Braixen was barely moving.

"Braixen, dodge it, please!" Serena cried, even with her own legs feeling as if they were lead. Braixen took a staggering foot forward, wrinkling her nose in immense displeasure. There was no time to dodge.

"Chespin, use Pin Missile!" yelled Clemont's voice just as the green projectiles shone in the dust and fired off towards Skuntank's attack. They impacted within seconds and halted it where it stood. The Pin Missile didn't end there, however, streaming onward until it slammed into Skuntank and sent it sprawling backward. The horrendous smell ceased, allowing Serena and Braixen to both breathe again. She nearly fell backward, but Clemont had appeared behind her to hold her back up. "I'm not…too late…am I?"

"Just on time," Serena answered with a smile. She really couldn't express her gratitude to the boy enough. "Where's Bonnie?"

"Elaine showed up and took her away," Clemont said, adjusting his glasses just a little as he stood to face Tau. Serena turned with him, her hair bouncing a little as she affixed a serious look onto her face. "This way, I can focus on the battle."

"Right. Braixen, use Hidden Power!" Serena yelled out, throwing her hand forward. Braixen whipped her wand out, silver orbs swirling around it before they fired out at Skuntank. The opposing Pokémon hardly moved at all as the orbs of streaking silver battered into its body.

"Chespin, get in there and use Tackle!" Clemont ordered. Chespin put a rather serious face and then started speeding forward, ramming its spiky head into Skuntank. The Skunk Pokémon didn't even move at all…and Tau was hardly looking worried.

"Skuntank, use Acid Spray," he ordered calmly, hands in his pockets. Skuntank's mouth opened wide and from within fired large orange globules in quick succession.

"Braixen, dodge it!" Braixen spun to the side as one of the orange globules impacted with the ground and started to melt away at the stone. That was one dangerous Acid Spray. Chespin wasn't quite so lucky, having been too close to dodge the attack, it got a face-full of the awful attack.

"Pin ches…" Chespin cried out in pain, rolling along on the ground, scratching at his face, like that would get rid of the horrible substance plaguing him.

"Now, Shadow Ball." Skuntank's mouth remained open and a crackling orb of dark energy formed before firing outward, straight for the writhing Chespin. Serena looked to Braixen and nodded, indicating that they had no time to call commands. Braixen ran forward, brandishing her wand and twirling it. She stopped right in front of Chespin in order to block the Shadow Ball head on.

"Use Fire Spin!" Serena yelled loudly. She could hear the sound of the Shadow Ball crackling with energy as Braixen tried to push it off. Her faithful companion's face was twisted into a grimace as she tried to hold off the assault before swinging the wand like a bat. The Shadow Ball flew upward, out of range, and Braixen pointed her wand at the ground, a protective shield of Fire Spin surrounding both her and Chespin. From between the flickering flames, Serena could see that Chespin had partially recovered, though he didn't look particularly happy in that moment. Clemont gave a relieved sigh before turning to Serena.

"We need to come up with a good battle plan," he told her. She couldn't help but agree; attacking head on wouldn't get them anywhere against a foe who was looking to beat them quickly.  _Though_ , Serena began to think to herself for a moment,  _it almost seemed like he didn't want to fight me at all._  "Serena, why don't you provide ranged fire support so that Chespin can get in for some close range damage. I would have liked to use Luxray, but he was still recovering from overuse of Wild Charge at the Pokémon Center."

"It's okay, Clemont, we still have a chance to win."

"Win?" Tau asked over the sounds of the roaring flames still being produced by Braixen. "This is not a battle for winning or losing. This is about objectives. My objective is to use you."

"Use us?" Clemont asked, his own face turning into a slight scowl. "What for?"

"If I told you that, I'd be betraying my objective. Chi, if you would," Tau called out, snapping his fingers as he did so. It seemed almost oddly familiar, the way he snapped his fingers. It was almost like something that Seamus would do. Unfortunately, the more pressing matter in that moment was that he had called for someone called "Chi".

"Shadow Sneak," boomed an imposing, older voice. Serena and Clemont both whipped their heads around, looking for the source of the voice. It was a few seconds too late that Serena realized, like always in a battle, that she should have been keeping her eyes on her Pokémon. Turning back to it, she saw a shadow flit along the ground and erupt from underneath Braixen and Chespin. Both of the Pokémon were tossed into the air, the flames completely dispersing as an all too familiar Doublade materialized from within the shadow. "Now, Iron Head."

"Blade!" Doublade cried, a metallic clang to its voice as its whole body was surrounded in an aura of silver. The swords were both out of their scabbards as the Sword Pokémon rushed at the freefalling forms of Braixen and Chespin.

"Use Fire Blast!" Serena called, hoping that the counterattack would be enough. Braixen angled her wand downward, from underneath her body, and let out the five pronged attack of flame rushing for the charging Doublade. The Steel type continued onward as the flames impacted with strength, slowing down only slightly to slam into both Braixen and Chespin. "No, Braixen!"

"Chespin, use Vine Whip and grab Doublade!" Clemont ordered. Chespin, spinning through the air unintentionally, seemed to quickly regain himself at Clemont's voice. Vines extended from the sides of his neck, aiming straight for Doublade, who had backed off from its attack. The vines quickly surrounded his opponent and wrapped themselves tightly around Doublade. "Now slam it into the ground!"

"Chespin!" Chespin yelled in acknowledgement before slamming the Doublade into the ground. It made a loud clanging noise, but the twin swords appeared to be just fine.

"Fury Cutter," called the disembodied voice. This was getting all too eerie for Serena to be unable to see the opponent they were facing. Doublade's sharp edges glowed white and they shot apart, slicing effortlessly through the vines and aiming straight for Chespin. The Spiny Nut Pokémon was knocked straight back on its feet, landing on its butt, which it rubbed with frustration. Serena, realizing that Clemont would be busy enough with Doublade, decided to turn her attention to the more imposing Skuntank and Tau, who was standing by with an unreadable expression.

"Braixen, use Flamethrower!"

"Skuntank, Acid Spray." Braixen, finally landing nimbly on her feet, quickly gained balance and issued another jet of flame straight from her wand. At the same exact moment, Skuntank's mouth opened and fired another series of orange globules. This time, both attacks collided and sent a small explosion rumbling through the street they were battling on. Braixen was pushed back, scattering some of the tiles that had weakened from the Acid Spray. She shook her head, almost like there was a ringing in her ears.

"It's okay, Braixen. Remember, we're fighting together," Serena said calmly. Braixen turned her head and nodded, reaffirming their present bond. The honey blonde breathed in carefully, steadying her body. After all the battles she'd watched Ash make it through; after the events of the Kalos Team Tournament, Serena knew that if she relaxed and focused her mind, she could pull out any victory. Battling wasn't her forte, but when it came time to fight…she would fight. "Use Fire Spin! Make multiple columns!"

"Braixen sen!" Braixen twirled forward, tapping the ground and sending the rotating pillars of flames shooting up. Sure, the pavement of the road was getting destroyed, but it was nothing compared to what would be done if it didn't win this battle. Next to her, Chespin's body was glowing green, a look of anger often not seen present on the Grass type's face. Both of them were finally getting serious.

"Shadow Ball," Tau ordered, spinning his finger. Skuntank whipped its tail and spun around while firing Shadow Balls in quick succession from its mouth. As the columns of spinning fire began to get closer, the Shadow Balls swooped inside of all of them. Serena's eyes narrowed, wondering just what was going on. "Now, Snarl."

"Skun!" the Skunk Pokémon cried out, slamming its forelegs down on the ground and sending the wave of black energy towards the converging flames.

"Braixen, guard yourself!" Her command had come a little too late as the black wave of Snarl impacted with the pulsing Shadow Balls inside the Fire Spin. All of it exploded, catching Braixen within its blast radius. The Fox Pokémon flew back, clattering to the ground like a rag doll, her stick abandoned a few feet away from her. "Come on, you can do it."

"B-brai…" Braixen grunted out, getting to her knees. She crawled forward a few feet to clasp her wand as Chespin was once more slammed into with an Iron Head. The poor Grass type rolled along the ground haphazardly, knocking into Braixen with a dazed expression. This really wasn't looking good for them; even after the experience of fighting tough foes, they were still being walked over.

"Serena…" Clemont said worriedly. She looked to him, expecting to see a sort of despair in his eyes, but instead found a gaze that was determined like steel. Inside, both of them were telling each other the same thing:  _time to act like Ash_. "Chespin, use Pin Missile!"

"And Braixen, use Fire Blast to give them an extra push!" Their two Pokémon struggled but were finally able to get to their feet as Doublade came to a resting float near Skuntank. This was no time to waver. With Chespin's body glowing the bright green of Overgrowth, he fired off a powerful Pin Missile, subtly aided by a pair of his vines giving them extra acceleration. Braixen also thrust forward with her wand, the five-pronged Fire Blast charging forth. The two attacks collided and combined in a whirling fury that impacted with their foes.

Or Serena thought it had.

When the explosion cleared, both Braixen and Chespin were looking exhausted, panting heavily. Meanwhile, both Doublade and Skuntank were entirely unharmed, the both of them covered by a blue shield extending from Doublade's body. More than that, Tau was no longer alone, having been joined by a bespectacled bald man. Serena wanted to scream in exasperation.

Tau raised a hand to his head and nodded a little bit. Then he turned to the bald man, who Serena assumed must have been Chi. "It would appear that Merle has located, and plans to engage, the targets."

"Then we don't need them?" Chi asked. His voice sounded so melancholy, yet firm in its resolve.

"Indeed. Tell Theta to call off her search." Chi nodded and raised his own hand to his head.

"No good. She's engaged in battle. You know how she can get," Chi answered the man who was easily the leader of this "Alpha Squad". Tau nodded at the information given.

"Very well. Give the order for the rest of Beta Squad to pull out and return to the airship. We'll leave the targets to Merle. Dalton will be waiting for our report," Tau finished. He turned his head at that moment and looked directly at Serena before shaking his head with what appeared to be…disappointment? "Smokescreen."

Serena didn't even bother to cover her mouth this time as the dark smoke plumed outward, enveloping both Tau, Chi and their Pokémon. Clemont started coughing, but Serena remained staring ahead. Predictably, they were gone by the time the smog had cleared. Once it had, Chespin fell over and even Braixen slumped a little. Serena walked forward.

"Thank you Braixen. Now, take a good rest," she told her partner, returning her to the pokeball. Clemont did the same to Chespin. The sounds in the city were mostly quieting. Obviously Team Neo had mostly achieved what they came here for and were pulling out. The town looked pretty battered, though. She just hoped that whatever civilians and Pokémon that were at Ground Zero would be okay.

"I wonder what that was all about," Clemont huffed out. He looked just as exhausted as Chespin had. Still, he managed to straighten himself and join Serena in looking towards the marketplace. "You're worried about Ash, right?"

Serena's fists clenched, but she said nothing aloud.  _Of course_  she was worried about Ash, but she was also miffed with him that he'd just left her behind like that. It made her start doubting herself again: that she wasn't strong enough or good enough.  _No,_  she chastised herself,  _I am strong enough to be by his side. I just need to find him_. "Let's go, Clemont."

"Okay. Where, exactly?"

"To find Ash." That was all she felt she needed to say before pumping her feet and taking off for the desecrated marketplace. All the screams were pretty much gone now, and the dust was starting to fade, even if the whirring of the airship overhead was as loud as ever. Whatever assault or invasion had just happened to Nova Town, it was now all but over. Damaged alleyways and broken houses flashed by Serena as she ran (Clemont was, as usual, far behind her) but she chose not to look at any of them, keeping her mind on the goal she wished to accomplish.

That changed when a Skarmory came flying backward, landing on the ground with a clang and its wings in a crumpled heap. The poor bird was twitching all over. Serena stopped in her tracks to look at the poor Pokémon, and she decided to run to its side. She wasn't the only one, given that Christopher had come darting out of the alleyway to check on his Pokémon. This pause in their forward advance gave Clemont the time to catch up. He immediately went to work on looking Skarmory over.

"What happened?" the inventor asked. Christopher didn't answer (which, given his silent nature, she hardly expected him to), but instead angled his head towards the alleyway he had just come out of. Serena, realizing the boys were rather distracted by Skarmory's state of health, quickly grabbed her Pancham's pokeball and stepped into the alleyway to a rather distressing sight and sound.

"Vanilluxe, use Mirror Shot and knock it out of the sky," Bethany was yelling. Clearly, Serena had found her easily enough, though what her current state was remained to be seen. Vanilluxe was spinning around in the air, like it was trying to find some hidden foe. Serena's eyes scanned the area, hoping to find just what was causing Bethany problems and had knocked Skarmory, Christopher's Skarmory, out of the fight. Bethany was also whipping her head around to find whatever it was, catching sight of Serena as she did so. "Careful, Serena, there's a-"

A loud screeching met Serena's ears and she was forced to hold her hands over her ears at the shrill noise. Her head bowed low, and when she looked back up it was to the frightening sight of a Mothim in her face. More than that, it was a Mothim that was attacking with a blue sphere of Air Slash.

"Nail it, Vanilluxe!" The Mothim screeched loudly once more and flitted out of the way as soon as Vanilluxe had let off its silver light of Mirror Shot. Serena fell back, avoiding the unintended attack. "That thing keeps using Quiver Dance, so I can't get a bead on it."

"Hee hee hee…you never will, little Beth," said a callous voice from somewhere up above them. What was with these Team Neo members and remaining out of sight? Serena stood, prepared to throw Pancham into the match against a berserk Mothim.

"How do you know my name…whoever you are?" Bethany asked angrily. Vanilluxe continued to rotate back and forth, trying to find the flitting Mothim while her trainer was distracted.

"I met you," the voice answered and now Serena could tell that it was very distinctly female. If only Clemont's Luxray were here; he could use his x-ray vision to find whoever was taunting them. "After all…you were my biggest fan. I appreciated that, even if it couldn't heal things."

"What?" Bethany spat, her face a mixture between fear, anger and flat-out revulsion. It was like there was some dawning revelation going on within her. Even Serena, hearing those words, began to realize there was a very unfortunate factor going on here. "You're not…you can't be…Theta? From Theta's…"

"Yes, I am. I must admit it's such a pleasure seeing little Beth all grown up," Theta's voice echoed all around the alleyway. "You were like the daughter I never had, in your own way. But it would seem I overstayed my welcome. Next time we battle, we'll have it face to face."

"What? !" Bethany yelled, seemingly snapped out of her revelatory moment. "No! You don't get to leave so anti-climactically! Show me your face! How do I know you're really Theta?"

"Because who else would know that your Vanilluxe and a little Litleo were once the best of friends." Serena, whose eyes were still trying to find the blitzing Mothim, looked back to Bethany, the girl having frozen up. Her hands were raised to her mouth, as if trying to contain the scream that was curdling in her throat, or maybe it was just to hide the look of horror that Serena knew was there. Just what was going on with all the people in this town and their reactions of horror to Team Neo's actions?

"Oh my…you really are her. You are Theta," Bethany gasped out, almost like the reveal was a blow to her chest. "But…why? Why are you with Team Neo? What are you planning to do to Nova Town?"

"Only what needs to be done." It was so quiet, traveling along the wind, but in the small space of the alleyway it carried to both of their ears. Theta's next statement was louder. "But you're right, I shouldn't leave on so anticlimactic a note. Mothim, dear, use Electroweb."

The screeching noise once more filled the area as Mothim swooped down quickly and from its mouth fired a yellow web, crackling with electricity. The web shot forward and impacted with Vanilluxe, slamming it into the wall and holding it there as it shocked it with impunity. Bethany cried out for her Pokémon in despair as Mothim took up towards the sky. Serena followed its trail up to the highest rooftop nearby and watched it land on someone's shoulder. Cloaked in shadow from the airship blotting out the sun, all Serena could tell was that it was a woman with sky-blue hair. The woman appeared to spare her a single glance before running away across the rooftops like some sort of ninja. With Theta's departure, Serena quickly ran to Bethany's side and grabbed the other end of the Electroweb, which had stopped its shocking, and pulled it off. Vanilluxe dropped to ground, paralyzed and twitching.

"Clemont, we need any Cheri Berries you have, right now!" Serena called out. Vanilluxe didn't look well, and despite Electroweb usually not causing paralysis, Serena had a feeling that it mattered little after the damage Vanilluxe had received from the electricity. Clemont was now emerging into the alleyway, tossing a Cheri Berry to Serena which she fed to Vanilluxe. The Snowstorm Pokémon appeared to improve, but Bethany was still cradling it with tears in her eyes.

Scowling a little, Serena stood, and with determination, made her way out of the alleyway and back towards the marketplace. She had to find Ash and Merle. If that girl was the only one left of Team Neo in the area, she had to get answers about what they were up to. After hurting so many people and Pokémon in their invasion, it went beyond a mere desire; she  _required_  answers. Thankfully, the sounds of a Thunderbolt colliding with something in the nearby marketplace easily alerted Serena to Ash's position.

"Serena, where are you…?" Serena blocked out Clemont's voice, her feet pounding on the pavement as she passed through one of the Gates into the marketplace. The dust was finally cleared, letting the sun stream back into Nova Town unimpeded and it gave Serena a good view to what she was running towards. Debris was scattered all across the area, along with the forms of some people and Pokémon that were trying to drag them away. The ground looked a little charred, though in some areas it looked as if it had been protected, likely by a Protect or another defensive move. She heard the voices as well.

"Alakazam, use Shock Wave!"

"Pikachu, join it with Thunderbolt!" From beyond the fountain, which seemed so far away, Pikachu was sending a Thunderbolt that combined with the glowing blue wave of electricity that was emitting from Seamus' Alakazam. The blue and yellow surged forward, impacting with a pair of rogue Weezing. Serena drew a little closer, though her feet stumbled on broken pavement stones and she crashed to the ground. As she looked up, she noticed that both of the Weezing were gone and there stood the masked girl, Merle, looming before Ash and Seamus. A wind whistled through the area, like a prelude to some sort of action. "Pikachu…"

"Pika," came the affirmative response. Serena dragged herself to her knees, as both trainer and Pokémon tensed. Then Merle leapt forward.

"Grrrrah!" she screamed, an almost guttural sort of roar. Serena's eyes widened and every muscle in her body screamed that she had to move and get to him, but the rest of her body and brain weren't really listening. Merle reached Seamus' Alakazam in moments, flipping through the air and delivering a powerful kick to the Psi Pokémon's chest. Alakazam flew backwards, slamming into Seamus and the two collided with the fountain, though it remained and looked undamaged. Serena's struggles finally got her to her feet and she noticed that Seamus and Alakazam were slumped unconscious against the fountain.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash commanded. Pikachu's body jetted forward, surrounded by a white aura, running straight at the rather vicious girl. Merle whipped around as Pikachu was about to impact with her and delivered a punch that sent Pikachu careening through the air.

"Pikachu!" Serena yelled, though her voice was hardly heard over the poor mouse's screams as it collided with a surprisingly intact fruit stand. The boxes, fruit, and the entire stand collapsed on top of Ash's best friend. Serena looked at her boyfriend, finally taking steps forward again, though not at the speed she had been moving before. Ash looked furious, grabbing another pokeball from his belt.

He had no chance to throw it.

Merle sped towards him, her body hunkered low. Just as Ash made to call his next Pokémon out, the masked girl had reached him and viciously delivered a punch to his gut. Serena froze at the sight, watching Ash gag. His pokeball dropped and clattered to the ground while his body slumped over Merle's shoulders.

"Ash!" Serena yelled. This time, she had earned the attention of the masked girl. The mask made it impossible to tell how she was being looked at, but it mattered little. Serena ran for Ash as Merle raised a hand to her head. Almost seconds later, ropes dropped from the airship overhead and Tau, of all people, descended near the fountain. Merle climbed onto another of the ropes, Ash still held in her hands. That rope began ascending. Tau, meanwhile, grabbed a pokeball from Seamus, returning Alakazam. He then grabbed the blond trainer from the water of the fountain, placing a hand against it in order to gain leverage. Then he, too, grabbed onto a rope and ascended. "No! Ash! Seamus!"

Serena could feel her stamina giving way almost, coughs rising in her throat as she blasted into the battle zone. She tried to jump upward and grab onto the last dangling thread of one of the ropes. Her fingertips brushed it, but missed. The ropes finished retracting, and the low whine of the airship's engines became louder. Falling back onto her butt, Serena noticed that the airship was now on the move away from Nova Town.

In less than a minute, the airship that had been blotting out the sun had disappeared entirely, vanishing over the reaches of the surrounding forest before ascending into cloud cover. Serena's breaths came in huffs. She had failed; Ash was gone. Worse than that, he was captured. She had no idea why they'd want to capture Ash, but she knew that it couldn't be anything good.

"Pika…pi…" Serena turned her head to the demolished fruit stand, catching sight of the small electric mouse struggling underneath the boxes. Serena pushed on the ground with some effort, drawing herself to her feet to get over to Pikachu. The boxes were mostly empty, and the fruit had broken to pieces, making it easy for Serena to push it all aside to free him. Pikachu instantly leapt into her arms. "Pipika, Pikachu pika pi pi Pikapi."

"I know," Serena said, hugging him against her chest. She felt Pikachu's ears droop; if there was anyone more upset about Ash's capture than her, it was certainly Pikachu. "We'll find him. I promise, Pikachu."

"Pi…ka…" Pikachu stopped moving against her chest and Serena held him away for just a moment. The poor Pokémon had passed out, his chest rising and falling rhythmically as he rested in Serena's arms. Clearly Merle's attack had affected him more than anyone could have guessed. Actually, Merle on her own was scary enough. It was almost like she had trained to take Pokémon on with pure physical power and skill. The ability to fight without needing Pokémon was perhaps the deadliest trait of all.

"All right, Pikachu, let's get you to the Pokémon Center," Serena told the dozing mouse sweetly. Clutching Ash's faithful partner to her chest, she began to turn towards one of the exits from the marketplace. Something shiny caught her eye on the ground amidst all the debris and she crossed the small distance to approach it, finding it to be the pokeball that Ash had dropped. Crouching low, she picked it up, and pressed the white button on its center.

"Gren?" came the sound of Greninja as soon as he emerged from his pokeball. "Ninja greninj?"

"I'm sorry, Greninja," Serena said. The Ninja Pokémon continued to look at Serena, his eyes settling on Pikachu in her arms. "He's gone. They captured him."

"Ninja!" Greninja snapped, almost as if he was angry. Serena couldn't blame him; she was angry at the whole situation, too. Not only had Ash brushed her aside in the battle again, but then he went and got captured for some unknown reason or purpose. It baffled and infuriated her.

"I understand, but I'm sure we can find him if we don't give up."

"Nin!" Greninja concurred. Then he moved to stand in front of her, almost like a stalwart bodyguard in Ash's absence. He began walking forward, leading the way to…somewhere. Serena wasn't sure at first until she heard the loud voice calling her. Clearly, Greninja had heard it well before she did.

"Serena! This way!" The honey blonde squinted her eyes and managed to catch sight of Bonnie in front of Elaine, jumping up and down enthusiastically. Clearly the invasion of Nova Town had done very little to dampen this girl's spirits. That was something that put a faint smile on Serena's face as she and Greninja walked forward. "Oh no! Is Pikachu okay?"

"He's a little hurt, but I'm sure Nurse Joy can fix him right up." Bonnie appeared to breathe in relief at that fact. Then she happened to peer around.

"Where're Ash and Clemont? The whole Pokémon Center is filling up and Nurse Joy could really use help," she commented, still searching for them as she told her.

"Ash is…" Serena grit her teeth; she really didn't want to admit what had just happened. Bonnie tilted her head to side, as did Dedenne, watching her curiously for a moment. "Ash was captured."

"What? Why?" Bonnie asked worriedly. "Did they capture Clemont, too? Are we going to rescue them? I knew it. My brother always needs someone like me to save the day…"

"I'm right here, Bonnie!" huffed Clemont's voice, far closer than Serena had expected. She turned her head to see that Clemont, Bethany and Christopher had all gathered in the empty marketplace with them. All of those who had been there could be seen marching towards either their homes or the Pokémon Center in the vicinity. Bonnie just grinned at her brother and launched into hugging him. That clearly made their argument be forgotten. At this moment, Elaine stepped forward.

"My son…was he…?" Serena swallowed, but nodded. Elaine frowned, but she shed no tears, befitting of a woman who displayed such strength. "Well, all of you come along to the Pokémon Center. A number of citizens are recuperating there, and I know you'll want to try and rescue your friend. No use doing it with your Pokémon exhausted. It's just a good thing that the missile only hit the marketplace. A lot of the townspeople have loyal Pokémon willing to defend them, too."

Knowing that Elaine spoke a very simple and profound truth about their Pokémon, Serena sighed and decided to follow her. Greninja stuck to her side like glue, indicating that he wasn't going anywhere. As a result, Serena pocketed his pokeball, hoping…no, knowing she'd return it to Ash later. Bethany and Christopher remained silent, no doubt shaken after their encounter with Theta. Serena didn't blame them; if she had actually personally known the attackers, she would probably be just as distracted. Her head was pounding though, like a beating of blades whapping against the inside of her skull.

"Man, my head is pounding…" Clemont expressed. Serena tried shutting her eyes for a moment, hoping that would help alleviate the headache she was having. It did no such thing, and that was when she realized that Clemont had said he was undergoing the same exact thing…meaning it wasn't internal.

"What's that loud noise, brother?" Bonnie asked, stopping in her tracks. Everyone else had done the same thing, looking around for the source of the very loud noise. For a moment, Serena feared that maybe Team Neo had some kind of unfinished business and had returned, especially when a rope dropped to the ground, the end of it pooling in a small pile. That prompted Serena to look up, where she saw a helicopter whirring overhead, and someone descending down the rope.

"What happened here?" asked the figure that had descended. Serena reached up with one hand and rubbed her eyes, making sure that she was correct in what she was seeing.

"Champion Diantha?" Clemont asked. "You're okay? We heard about the Summit and-"

"Yes, the Summit was attacked. Now, tell me what happened here." Her voice was harsh, but the person standing before them was undeniably Diantha. She looked a little roughed up and had a bandage on her head to cover some kind of wound, but otherwise she carried herself with the same grace that she always did.

"Nova Town was attacked by that bunch of meanies, Team Neo!" Bonnie answered with a huff. Serena decided to take over in this moment to stop Bonnie from making up her own details in the story.

"I…I think they came here for Ash. They kidnapped him and another boy named Seamus," Serena said. Diantha nodded, though she wasn't sure if it was from understanding the statement, or understanding why. "Um…not to be rude, Champion, but…why are you here?"

"My keystone was stolen by Team Neo. I wanted to try and get it back," Diantha said simply. "Well, that and-"

"Sol…" whined a voice from the nearby forest, the area unharmed from the attack. Every single trainer in the area turned without hesitation towards the source of the voice, each of them ready to throw another pokeball out. The sound of a loud colliding footstep sounded out and the bushes rustled. Serena's grip on Pikachu tightened while Greninja threw out a hand. Then whatever was making the noise broke through the bush slowly, revealing itself to be an Absol. On its back was a female trainer with blonde hair, passed out, just as the Absol seemed about to do.

It wasn't alone, however. Something else was making a noise from beyond the bushes. Serena was most certainly gripping Pancham's pokeball now.

"Don't…It's me…" groaned the voice. It sounded oddly familiar to Serena, but she still couldn't place exactly where she'd heard it before. Bethany and Christopher could, though, because they ran towards the bushes, reached in, and pulled out the unmistakable form of Rocky. Only, Rocky didn't look the greatest. He looked as though he'd just jumped through fire a few times.

"Rocky! What are you doing here? Are you okay? What happened?" Bethany said, fussing over Rocky's state. He didn't answer for a moment, almost like he himself was ready to pass out. Rocky did, however, have the presence of mind to grab Bethany's hand and stare sharply into her eyes.

"I found Travis."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: There are a lot of questions that you have, I'm sure. What is Team Neo's goal? Why did they kidnap Ash and Seamus? How is Diantha okay? And what is this about Travis? Well, all this and more will be answered in due time, trust me, but what kind of author would I be to simply tell you all what's going on? That said, I hope you enjoyed this fast paced chapter. Pretty much all the important characters have hit the field now, which is somewhat similar to last time, but I have a much more manageable cast split into two factions. In any case, tell me your thoughts, speculations, or questions. I'll take them all!
> 
> Every time I get a notification on this story, my eyes light up with glee! So, in the meantime, please Review and always, Dare to Be Silly.


	5. A Decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very quick note before we begin. For one thing, I find it very funny how almost everyone guessed the same exact reasons for Ash's capture last chapter. I'm not sure if it means I'm doing my job very well or failing miserably. I'd like to think the former. Another thing, for the early part of this chapter and the character interactions, I want to note the intensity and circumstances of the situation. You know I try very hard to keep my characters in-character, and I hope you think it's just a natural evolution. My worries now expelled, let's read Chapter 5!

Chapter 5

A Decision

Serena's hands continued to fold amongst themselves and then come apart, like they wanted to twist themselves, but couldn't quite do it. She wasn't the only one feeling that way in the waiting room of the Pokémon Center. Clemont and Bonnie were sitting by silently as well, the younger of the two hanging her head as Dedenne rolled back and forth in worry. The red light over the door to the emergency room hadn't gone off even once during the whole time they'd been here. Beyond the lobby, in the hallways beyond, numerous people were shuffling back and forth, waiting to be treated alongside their Pokémon. It left their area surprisingly empty.

"He'll be okay, Serena," Clemont had voiced more than once during the wait. At the time, she wasn't sure if he was talking about Ash, Pikachu or anyone else they knew that had been caught up in the attack. He started to clear it up about two hours into the wait. "They'll all be okay."

She wanted to believe him, but from the way that red light stared at her in the now darkening waiting room of the Center she wasn't in the best mood to believe it. Diantha seemed to be of the same opinion. The Champion had gone silent since they had found Rocky, and was now pacing up a storm. She appeared far too agitated, like she really wanted to say something, but knew that this was clearly not the best time.

The doors to the exterior of the Pokémon Center opened at this moment, and the blonde trainer that had been slumped over the Absol came charging in and up to the empty desk where Nurse Joy usually sat. Only Wigglytuff was manning it now.

"Is my Absol okay?" the trainer demanded tersely.

"Wiggily! Wigglytuff!" the Balloon Pokémon tried to say, but the blonde was having none of it.

"I've been gone for two hours! Are you saying that my Absol is…?" The blonde clearly had no desire to finish the sentence, the possibility of what it could mean settling on her. She adjusted the purple clip in her hair and turned around, finally looking straight at Serena and the others. Serena, for her part, stared right back at her, if only until her eyes could flit over to where Pikachu was being treated alongside the town's population of Pokémon. "I know you."

"Huh?" Serena said. The blonde's inquiry happened to draw Clemont and Bonnie's attentions as well. While they looked at her, she happened to approach Serena.

"Yeah…a few months back. You were with a boy and his Pikachu, Froakie and Hawlucha. I thought your hair was longer, though…" Now, Serena was really confused. They had met this girl before, yet she couldn't, for the life of her, remember where. Nevertheless, the girl held out her hand. "I'm Astrid. I don't think I got your name when we last met."

"Er…Serena," she said, taking the hand and shaking it. Bonnie and Clemont continued to watch them until Bonnie clapped her hands together, presumably in recognition.

"You're the Mega Absol trainer!" she exclaimed. This drew Astrid's attention, the older girl facing Bonnie with an amused, yet sad, smile. "I remember now! You were a keeper! Have you thought about my offer?"

"Bonnie, stop that!" Clemont said hastily, not even bothering with his Aipom Arm to grab his sister back in order to silence her. "I've told you a million times that I don't need your help in getting a girlfriend."

"Then get one already!" Bonnie demanded, causing Clemont to flush. Serena would have mercilessly teased Clemont about this had it been under any other circumstance. Unfortunately, with Ash missing, she wasn't exactly in the mood to share the kind of understated laugh that Astrid was having.

"No, I'm afraid that hasn't been on my mind," Astrid said, covering her mouth a little amidst her laughing. Serena felt her own lips twitch, as if heading for a smile, when she saw Astrid frown in contemplation. "Actually, I don't think even the words 'Mega Absol Trainer' would fit me at all. Not since my keystone was taken."

"Yours as well, then?" Diantha asked, surprising all of them. The Champion had yet to speak since they'd arrived at the Pokémon Center. Astrid turned to look at her before blinking her eyes and then widening them.

"Miss Diantha!" Astrid said, bowing her head a little. That was when the recollection settled into Serena's brain. Ash had fought this Astrid once upon a time, right before they had met Diancie and had that encounter with Xerneas and Yveltal. Now that she was meeting the girl again, she could see that a tiny little detail missing: she was no longer wearing an earring.

"I need details," Diantha asked harshly. Serena flinched a little. This was so unlike the Champion turned actress (or perhaps it was the other way around, she had never been sure). She had never sounded so harsh. Even coming to talk with them about the supposedly upcoming crisis in Kalos, she had been respectful in her demeanor. As she was now though, it was like she was a wounded animal, willing to strike out.

"I really couldn't tell you much," Astrid admitted with a shake of her head. "All I know, is that I was on my way towards Lumiose City for the Kalos League. Absol and I stopped for lunch when we were attacked by an individual in a black mask. I tried to fight them off, but…something was very off. It was like I couldn't land a single hit on their Salamence. It would always be off by just a little bit or sometimes it seemed like it teleported."

"Certainly seems odd," Diantha admitted, her body seeming to deflate at the information. It was like she just wanted information, and didn't care how she got it.

"Um, anyway, before long I was hit by concussive blast from somewhere. Absol rescued me, but was pretty damaged," Astrid admitted. "Before I passed out, I saw the boy who brought me into town battling it out with his Rhyperior. He looked rather angry, but that's all I remembered before I woke up here. I don't even know where 'here' is."

"Nova Town," Serena answered quietly, her hands once more folding in amongst themselves. Astrid turned her head a little, as if she wasn't entirely familiar with the town name.

"Don't know it, I'm sorry to say," Astrid admitted. Serena shrugged her shoulders; she didn't blame the blonde for not knowing about Nova Town. Had it not been on their own path to Lumiose City, Serena might not have ever known that it existed, herself.

Diantha sighed loudly, agitatedly rubbing her hands on her coat as she leaned against the waiting room's counter. Once she had finished with her agitation, she turned to look at the four that were gathered there. "Well, it looks like we have some decisions to make."

"Decisions?" Clemont asked. His eyes were narrowed as he adjusted his glasses. "I don't want to sound presumptive, Champion, but I don't really think there's much of a decision. Once our Pokémon are healed up, we find Ash. I know that the signal I was tracking is gone since I've been checking while we waited, and the files I took from the radio station were only related to that, but it should certainly be our main priority, right?"

"Ninja!" Greninja concurred with Clemont. Serena breathed in, noticing that Greninja was still watching Pikachu through the window to the operating room in a silent vigil.

"That's not the only goal to accomplish here, assuming that you want to stop Team Neo as much as I do," Diantha informed them. Her lips were in a thin line and she looked far more cross than Serena had ever seen her look before. "Clearly, both Astrid and I have lost our Keystones for some nefarious purpose. I intend to recover mine right away."

"Go ahead," Serena finally said, her tone coming out a little darker than expected.

"Serena?" Bonnie asked, scooting over on the seat to look at her. Serena, however, wasn't in the mood for it. Ash was gone, captured by Team Neo; nothing else mattered right then except getting him back. If they had to take down Team Neo and its Delta Squad along the way, then so be it, but she wasn't going to waste time hunting for keystones that two easily capable trainers could find on their own.

"I don't care if you need to do what you need to do," she finally spoke, a little louder than before, "but I'm finding Ash."

Diantha surveyed her and Serena looked straight back at the Champion, refusing to back down from her position. The woman in front of her appeared to be either shocked or miffed at Serena's declaration. "You're thinking like a child."

"Am I?" Serena said. Part of her was biting at the Champion, lashing at her to take the next blow while her hands gripped at her tights on her knees. The other part of her knew that, perhaps, she  _was_  thinking childishly in the heat of the moment. She didn't really care either way. "Maybe…but Ash was captured for a reason. Isn't going after him important then? More important than something that's important to you?"

"Serena, that's not what she meant," Clemont said, waving his hands in front of his face. He looked like he  _really_  did not want any conflict to start. "She just meant that both are equally important to Team Neo's plan, and…"

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand how a stone is more important than our friend's life!" Serena snapped to the inventor. Clemont recoiled, and she felt a little bad inside, but continued to keep the glower on her face.

"The keystone…it's more than a stone to us…" Astrid sighed out. "That keystone is a symbol of the unwavering bond we have with our Pokémon. I'm not sure you could understand…"

"Greninja! Ninja!" Greninja suddenly cried out, leaping the distance from where he was to between Astrid and Serena. At the same time, Serena suddenly stood, stomping her foot on the ground. Greninja looked absolutely furious, as though he were completely disagreeing with everything that these Mega Evolution trainers were saying. It was no surprise, really; Ash was his trainer, his friend, and Diantha was quite callously telling them to abandon him.

"Greninja's right," Serena said. She didn't know what he had said, but she could sense the unwavering feelings shared with him and Ash. "If you think a stone is what represents your bonds then maybe you need to reexamine them!"

"Serena!" Bonnie and Clemont suddenly said. She was too far gone, now, though. Her entire self was consumed with anger and loathing; two traits so unlike her, which made them only cut all the deeper.

"You need to calm down," Clemont continued. "I understand you're upset but you need to think about what you're saying."

"And who you're saying it to…" Bonnie seemed to add as an aside. Clemont frowned at her interruption and stood, himself, to face the honey-blonde.

"Look, we're all worried about Ash, and if we knew where he was, I'd drop everything in a heartbeat to go get him. But we don't, and even so, we'd be horribly outnumbered. Maybe the Champion is right, and we should go and find the keystones. It may be the easier of the two options."

"Easier? !" Serena screeched. Dedenne held his ears at the pitch to which her voice went. Her body was quaking, her fists clenching. She wasn't alone, judging from Greninja's own body language. "Do you think Ash would choose what's easier? Do you think he'd back down from finding any one of us because it's easier? He'd never give up."

"I'm not…"

"Clemont, we're not just regular trainers," Serena told him. Her voice was still carrying that uncharacteristic dark tone but her volume had lessened a little. "We fought in the Ancien Debacle. We put our lives on the line. I'm not scared to take the fight to Team Neo if it means saving Ash…"

"That's emotion speaking," Diantha said sharply. Serena finally turned her sight back to the Champion. "You need to think logically instead of emotionally. Do you really think that Ash would want you to waste time when doing something else could save more people?"

"You don't know Ash!" Serena yelled, her voice echoing around the Pokémon Center. "He's  _my_  boyfriend! I know him better than you. Just because you're the Champion doesn't mean that you would know what he thinks…and just because you're the Champion doesn't mean you're right about everything!"

The room was silent at Serena's outburst. Diantha blinked, as if completely stunned by the way she had spoken. Even Serena was surprised at herself, but her blood was boiling, and she wasn't backing down. She couldn't. Ash meant too much to her. "Pipika?"

"Pikachu!" Bonnie cried, running towards the entrance to the emergency room. The light overhead was still on, indicating that Absol was likely still in treatment. Nurse Joy had rolled out a gurney, however, with Pikachu and two pokeballs upon it. Suddenly, Serena realized just how she had sounded and she clapped a hand over her mouth. The sound of her hand striking her mouth attracted the attention of everyone else in the room, especially Pikachu, who had his head tilted curiously.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered. Then, almost without thinking, Serena whipped right around and bolted from the Pokémon Center. Numerous voices of her friends were calling for her, but Serena didn't stop, allowing her legs to carry her into the darkening marketplace. When she reached the fountain, her legs allowed themselves to stop. "I can't believe I just said that to the  _Champion_ …"

With those words, Serena nearly collapsed onto the fountain, her bottom nearly sliding into the water, but finding a firm place on the marble (or what she presumed was marble) that made up the fountain base. It was remarkable that it hadn't been damaged in the attack. Sitting there, Serena watched as the lights in the houses began to come on, making the town, even in its partially destroyed state, seem welcoming. It all frustrated her. She had yelled  _at the Champion_. Not only that, but it made her feel horrible, like she had after chucking snowballs at Ash's head back in Snowbelle. Only this was a little worse.

"Aaaaagh!" she screamed loudly, the voice echoing over the waters of the lake and the empty marketplace.

"Pipika," called the voice of Pikachu, standing at her feet. Serena hadn't even heard him approach, but she noticed that he was holding up Braixen's pokeball. Grateful for the kindness, the Performer picked up her boyfriend's most trusted partner and hugged him tightly.

"Thanks," she said, letting a small smile onto her face. "I'm sorry you had to see that. You must be just as worried about Ash as me, huh?"

"Pika…" Pikachu said, his head drooping a little to indicate his feelings. Serena just opted for scratching Pikachu's head, making the electric mouse coo in delight. She tipped her head back and looked at the moon ascending into the sky. Ash was somewhere up there…trapped in an airship. Knowing him, he was probably just fine, but she still couldn't help but worry.

"Never give up…" she whispered to the air. Her boyfriend wouldn't give up on getting out and getting back to them, so she wouldn't give up on finding him.

"Hey, you okay?" asked Bethany's voice from nearby. Serena finally looked back down and saw the turquoise-haired girl approaching, her hands in her pockets. She didn't look happy; it was no surprise given her earlier encounter. "I could hear you on the way over to the Center. Rocky finally got up and we decided to meet up with you guys there to 'exchange information'."

"Oh," Serena remarked, unsure of exactly what to say. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"Will be…I guess…" Bethany breathed out. With those words, she flopped on the marble base next to Serena, looking the honey-blonde Performer in the eyes. "No, I'm not."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Serena asked, placing a comforting hand on the girl's knee. Bethany didn't answer for a moment. "I'm willing to share my problems if you want to share yours."

" _You_  have problems?" Bethany scoffed out almost jokingly. "The almost Kalos Queen, girlfriend of the MVP of the KTT?"

"Something like that…" Serena sighed out, blowing upward. It made some of her hair fall into her eyes, but Pikachu just brushed it out of the way as he climbed up to her shoulder.

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it…" the girl backpedaled a little. "What's going on?"

"I don't know…" the honey-blonde groaned out. She removed her hat from her head and briefly ran her hand through her hair. "Okay, so about a week ago, we kinda had our first fight. It didn't last long, or anything, and afterwards we were all good. Back to normal…whatever normal is in our group. But that's when Ash seemed to start his whole protective thing. And in the battle he told me to stay there and wait for everyone. Why did I listen to him? ! Agh! If I had gone with him-"

"He would have still been captured," Bethany said sternly. Serena choked on her words a moment and looked at the girl who gazed at her with precision. "Team Neo was  _very_  well prepared, and they weren't taking 'no' for an answer. Even if you had gone with him, Ash would have still been captured, only you would have been captured with him. Then we'd be one member short in taking him back."

"I guess you're right…" Serena sighed out, feeling Pikachu nuzzle against her cheek as he seemed to fall asleep.

"Listen, Serena," Bethany said, leaning back, her hands resting on the very base they were sitting on. "There's nothing wrong with a fight. There's nothing wrong with outright telling him how you feel."

"Are you talking from experience?"

"Yeah," she answered. "You know how I told you in the tournament that all I wanted to do was travel with my friends. Well, that kind of mentality wasn't exactly the most accepted with boneheads like Seamus, Travis and Rocky. Led to a lot of fights on the road, which Chris would always stick up for me. Eventually, I couldn't stand it that he was handling all these battles for me. Let's just say, the argument that exploded in the group led to quite a few bruised faces, some injured Pokémon and the general negative vibe you guys endured in the tournament. But…on the other hand, if we hadn't fought, I'm not sure we'd be where we are now."

"So you're saying I should yell at him?"

"No, I'm saying you should tell him how you feel about being sidelined. Capiche?" Serena frowned at the notion. She and Ash had rarely, if ever, argued. At least, they hadn't until that day in Snowbelle…and she'd  _hated_  herself for it, even if Ash deserved every one of those snowballs at the moment. Now, Bethany was telling her it was okay to just put her foot down and tell Ash to let her fight. The thought was near absurd.

Though it was no more absurd than Ash being kidnapped, or Bethany knowing one of the members of the Alpha Squad of Team Neo.

"Hey, Bethany, can you tell me about your childhood?" she asked. Bethany's brow furrowed. "I just…you and Christopher seem so different from Rocky, Seamus and Travis."

"Guess we are," Bethany answered. "Chris and I have known each other since…oh, probably since birth. Our parents were real close, so, it was natural we gravitated towards each other. Rocky was bullied as a kid, so when he got his first Pokémon, he got real obsessed with growing stronger. As for Seamus…I honestly couldn't say. Despite being such a small town, he was never the most approachable, like he was in his own world. Amongst the kids there was this rumor that he and Travis knew each other until Travis moved away or something. He was back by the time I met the both of them…you know, before Travis jumped off the deep end."

"And here I thought all five of you knew each other your whole lives," Serena laughed out. She hadn't really gotten much in the way of answers, wondering how their childhood had made them the way they were, but it seemed good enough in that moment. She had walked away with something; something that could help all of them.

"Yeah…no…maybe if we did, Travis wouldn't have…" Bethany's face adopted a scowl for a moment before she decided to laugh it off. "Our whole town's screwed up. First Seamus and Travis and now this Team Neo stuff and Theta being a part of them…Guess we have to own it. Like some kind of divine karma or something for the actions we took. Look, even the ground's glowing green like…it's…"

Bethany trailed off at the same time that Serena's eyes widened. She hadn't noticed it, but somehow, Bethany's face started glowing with a familiar and faint glow of green. Turning her head to the side, she noticed that Pikachu had woken up and he, too, was bathed in the green light. Her heart racing at the eerie development, Serena stood, Pikachu clinging to her and did a three-sixty around the area. The fountain was glowing, almost pulsing, with green energy. More than that, the Four Gates were doing so as well.

"Um…is this normal?" Serena asked. On her shoulder, Pikachu's cheeks were sparking, like he was quite unhappy about whatever this green glow meant. Even Serena could feel a pit of horridness settle in her stomach, as the green glow began to feel very sickeningly familiar to her.

"No," the girl breathed out. "This is definitely a new one. I always thought they were just dead rocks…"

Maybe they were just dead rocks. Or maybe Team Neo's objective had gone beyond capturing Ash and Seamus to doing something more. Making them something more. Like a meteorite…like the meteorites that had been destroyed in the aftermath of her wish at Ancien City. Serena's eyes widened and, without thinking, she began to race back towards the Pokémon Center. It didn't matter how she had left; this was something far more troubling. Maybe Diantha had been right after all; Ash could take care of himself, because if Team Neo was stealing keystones, and they were connected with the Gates that were meteorite-esque, then that was becoming the top priority.

"Serena! Hold up!" Bethany was crying, quickly catching up with her on their sprint. "The Gates, with the green glow, they're kind of like…?"

"Yeah." That was all the response she could offer as she burst in through the doors to the Center, drawing attention to the both of them from all six of the people in the room. "The…Gates…I think…they're connected…to the Ancien Meteorites."

No one said a word at what she had gasped out, almost like they were floored by the information that Serena had given them. Diantha was the first to react, leaning back against the counter once again as she rubbed a hand across her neck, where her keystone had once been. "So…they're after something to do with these Gates, then?"

"It's certainly possible," Astrid said. She shook her head, taking a seat where Serena had been sitting earlier, right between Rocky and Bonnie. "I don't like it. To think that my keystone could be used in some sort of sordid scheme…"

"That's Travis for you," Rocky spat. "He probably has a screw loose by now."

"Speaking of Travis," Bethany asked, walking forward to stand before her friend, "you passed out before you could tell us anything. Isn't it time to share what you know?"

"I think we should all share what we know," Clemont suggested. "If we have any hope of finding Ash, getting the keystones back,  _and_  stopping Team Neo, we all need to know what the others know." Serena nodded, feeling that was a very logical and well-thought out suggestion. Everyone cast glances around the room, but only Astrid shrugged.

"Don't look at me. I'm just a victim in all this here," she said. Her eyes temporarily slid over to the emergency room in worry. No doubt she was still concerned about her Absol.

"We don't have much to share, either," Christopher grumbled out, his hands folded against each other. "We located Team Neo's broadcast signal. It was routed through a radio station owned by one of its members: Theta. Soon after we got back, Team Neo attacked. Clemont's told us that signal is now lost. Obviously they also did something to make the Gates glow."

"And they captured Ash!" Bonnie squeaked out. Her tone was a little strained, and even Serena could tell that the younger girl was starting to get worried about Ash's fate. She also found it funny how no one mentioned Seamus.

"They're also going around collecting keystones," Diantha said. She stopped leaning now, choosing instead to stand tall and deliver the information she had. "The League Summit was attacked by Team Neo, and one of its masked men stole my keystone before delivering another assault. We hadn't seen it coming somehow…I think a number of the guards may have been hypnotized or something."

"How did you get out?" Clemont asked. "The destruction looked pretty widespread."

"Gardevoir aided me," the Champion answered. "She was using a Moonblast when the second missile hit. Gardevoir teleported at the last second to fire it and the two attacks connected at point blank range near her body. The damage to Gardevoir was extensive, to the point that I won't be able to use her for at least another twenty-four hours, but the concussive blast nearly destroyed the area. The other Champions and Elite Four members are either in the hospital for the moment or missing. And that's what scares me."

"How ruthless they are?" Astrid asked. She had a very stern expression on her face, like she was sucking in every syllable of the Champion's words.

"That's part of it," Diantha answered with a small shake of her head. "But more than that: how did they know where the League Summit was being held? I suspect there may have been a traitor there, and the president plans to look into it once he's recovered. In the meantime, I knew I had to focus my efforts on reclaiming my keystone. Those thoughts are now only further enforced. Whoever the traitor within the League is, also helped facilitate in the stealing of my keystone. I may be able to find them by getting my keystone, and it will also end Team Neo's plans."

"Then we go after the keystones," Serena said definitively. Diantha looked at her in surprise. "I'm sorry for the way I spoke earlier, but if Team Neo did something to make the Gates glow like the meteorites in Ancien City…I know how much damage it can cause."

"You'll want to find Travis, then," Rocky said, stoically staring ahead at each of them. "He's the one going around collecting keystones."

"What? !" Bethany screeched. Christopher, for all the emotion he usually showed on his face, looked equally surprised by this development. Serena, she was sad to say, wasn't at all. Travis had probably been the nastiest of the bunch, and if the rumors had been true about him wandering around on the run, he can't have been happy. Joining up with a crime syndicate with some nebulous goal seemed like a pretty decent vehicle for potential revenge. Judging from the way he had acted on the last day of the Tournament, that was probably one of his major goals. Kidnapping Ash made a little more sense now.

"So, this Travis is the one who stole my keystone?" Diantha asked. Rocky shook his head.

"Can't tell you for sure, but probably. He was the one who stole  _her_  keystone," he indicated, pointing at Astrid. "I battled it out with him, but there was this Medicham…"

"Let me guess: it used Gravity before annihilating you?" Rocky looked at the Champion with surprise, causing Diantha to turn away and grip the counter she was facing.

"Yeah…I barely got away. I had to get Rhyperior to destroy the trees and create a distraction long enough to get away. It's shameful."

"You did what you could," Christopher said, patting Rocky on the back. The other boy barely listened, scratching at the cuts and bruises on his face as he scowled. It was pretty obvious that he wanted a round two with Travis. They just had to find him first. Astrid appeared to have the same idea as she stood and faced him.

"Where is he?" she asked. Rocky continued to glower at something unseen until the blonde grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Where is your friend? !"

"He's  _not_  my friend!" Rocky roared suddenly, getting to his feet in outrage. Clemont and Bonnie moved forward a little while Astrid stood her ground, causing Rocky to back off a little. "Travis is hunting keystones, but stumbling on a Mega Evolution trainer isn't that easy unless you know where to go. I only knew he was hunting them because there was an attack on Elite Four Siebold's restaurant. It was chance that both he and I found you. Other than that, if the League's been infiltrated, then he'll probably be trying to find Gym Leaders that have Megas. They're probably registered or something like that."

"Korrina…" Clemont uttered worriedly. Bonnie looked to Clemont and reassuringly patted his elbow. Serena was certainly worried for their good friend, too, but she also knew that Korrina wasn't the only one with a Mega Evolution. In fact, there was one quite close by…

"Snowbelle City, too. Wulfric has a Mega Abomasnow," Serena said. Astrid put her hands on her hips, almost like she was defying the fact that her keystone had been taken.

"So, it's either Snowbelle or Shalour City?" she asked.

"We could probably also guess that whichever this Travis isn't heading for will likely be the next place for Team Neo itself to strike," Diantha said. She wasn't facing any of them, but it was still quite easy to hear her voice all the same. "Well then, I would suppose my course is set."

"Champion?" Astrid voiced. Diantha barely responded before turning around and staring at each of them in their eyes.

"This is a battle, and not one that any of you asked for," she said clearly. "Ash is captured, my keystone and Astrid's are stolen, and with the way they have been going, I am sure that Team Neo is bound to hurt many more people on their conquest. As Champion of the Kalos region, I will not stand idly by and watch this happen. Quite truthfully, my blood is boiling, and I want to stop them to avenge my comrades in the League. With it out of commission for the moment, it falls to me to accomplish this, but I cannot do it alone.

"I know that it is not my place to ask this, knowing that you should have no reason to have been involved," she continued, "but I must ask if you'll follow me and help protect this region."

No one answered at first, and Serena suddenly became acutely aware of the fact that everyone else in the room was staring at her. It was like they expected  _her_  to give the answer. Somehow, she had become the de facto leader of their current group. Even Astrid was looking at her as though she was going to lead. Normally, she'd defer those kinds of decisions to Ash, but as it was, she knew she'd have to take his place. This was no longer the time for worrying or squabbles, but for leadership. So, Serena turned towards the Champion with everyone's answer on her lips.

"Of course we will."

* * *

"Serena…" his breath came out, a puff of air becoming visible in what seemed to be a cold atmosphere. Not that it was actually cold to him, but snow was falling. Falling thickly, no less. He watched as she turned around, smiling that brilliant smile at him. He began to move forward, but it felt like there were weights attached to his feet, surrounded by frigid snow. "No…"

"Ash…" her voice came as well, but it was faint, lost to howling wind and blizzard conditions that were surrounding the two of them. It was actually getting cold now…too cold. Ash reached his hand out, desperate to reach her with that hand, even if his feet couldn't make it. He was almost there, so close.

Then there was a peal of lightning that struck the top of a tree. That tree toppled over and crashed into a larger mountain. What happened next started as a rumble before Ash turned his head and saw the snow beginning to barrel towards them. He pumped his legs, hoping to shake off the snow that was piling around his legs. He had to reach her. She had come here, just for him. Just to help him. Why wasn't she moving?

"Serena!" he yelled, but it was like she didn't hear him. The snow kept coming, it was almost at Serena. The storm cleared for a moment, and beyond his girlfriend's form, he could see the distinct edge of a cliff. With a sudden cry and a burst of energy, Ash roared loudly and stretched his hand out grasping for her. He managed to get ahold of her coat.

Then the snow came barreling through, and Ash felt himself pitched into the fallen tree. He didn't need the air to clear to know that all he was holding onto was Serena's coat. The girl was nowhere to be seen, falling amidst the snow over the cliff. Ash would have screamed if he could, but he found that his voice was all but lost. He just laid there, lost. How could this have happened? How could he have lost her? How had he not protected her when it mattered most?

The storm clouds cleared and sun streamed through in powerful rays. Ash squinted his eyes, practically closing them to blot out the sun. It was too much. Too much for him to take. And why did it seem so loud? The sounds of nature were gone, replaced with some kind of mechanical whirring. This made Ash's brow crease in worry, and he forced his eyes open.

The trees, mountains and snow were gone, replaced by a very dull gray wall. Ash blinked a little, realizing that he was laying down on what appeared to be a cot, his eyes looking right at what seemed to be a window. Where was he? He sat up and felt his chest flinch with pain. Rubbing it slightly, the memories came back to him of what had happened in reality. Team Neo had attacked, he'd reunited with Serena, made sure she was safe and then found Seamus. They had fought that girl, Merle, until the girl had sucker punched him right in the chest. That was the last thing he remembered.

 _Well, at least that last part was just a dream_ , Ash thought in relief. Sitting up with another groan, Ash got a better look at the area he was sitting in. It appeared to be a small room, a box really. There was the small window that appeared to look outside of wherever they were, but other than a cot, the room was entirely void of personality. Of course, all it took was a look at the entrance, or rather exit, from the place for him to realize why. There were bars on the door. He was imprisoned. Knowing he had to get out, Ash reached for his belt to call a Pokémon, only to find that they were missing.  _Man…how do I get out of here now?_

As Ash continued to contemplate this question, a small scraping sound was heard outside his cell. The raven-haired trainer found himself attracted to this sound and he turned to face it. He had no idea how he had missed it before, but blaming it on the disorientation, Ash finally noticed Merle sitting outside on a chair, staring at him through the bars. It was a little creepy, especially since her face was still masked.

"Where am I?" he asked aloud, his throat a little rough after such a restless night. Merle didn't answer. She just continued to look at him in what he assumed to be interest. "Hey, where am I? Why am I here? Where are my Pokémon? !"

All those questions were thrown straight at Merle, but the girl didn't even seem to blink. Maybe she was asleep. Ash walked forward and grabbed ahold of the bars, trying to fit his head through, but easily failing. This seemed to elicit some sort of reaction from Merle, because she laughed a little, as if finding it comical. None of it answered his questions, though. So, putting his unusually hard head to use, Ash rammed at the bars, hoping to topple them over.

"Hey! Answer me!" he cried out, continually ramming against the metal bars on his cell. "Where's Pikachu? Where are my other Pokémon? !" He would have asked about Serena, but there was the hope inside him that they hadn't captured her. He still didn't know why they had captured him.

"Your Pokémon are safe. Unharmed," Merle finally answered. She didn't say much more. In fact, she seemed to be done watching him, either out of disinterest or no longer being amused by him. Ash wasn't sure. Merle stood, and moved the chair she had been sitting on to the wall opposite where the cell was. Then she began to walk away. Ash wouldn't let her go so easily, so he began banging against the jail cell bars with even more ferocity.

"Let me go!" he yelled, though his words may just as well have fallen on deaf ears.

"Cut it out…" groaned a voice nearby. Ash shifted along his cell door and could just barely see into one adjacent to his. Seamus was leaning against the bars with a rather dejected look on his face. "You're not getting out by ramming your head at it."

"Then what do you suggest?" Ash asked impatiently. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be back with Pikachu and all of his other friends…and his girlfriend. He was worried about her and Pikachu the most.

"Neither of you are getting out," Merle finally said, stopping just outside Seamus' cell. She put herself into a crouch and peered into said cell. "Dalton wants to meet with the both of you, but we're a little busy right now."

"'Dalton', huh? I'm not surprised," Seamus scoffed out. From where Ash was, it almost looked as though the blond had given up. "Why are you even here, Merle?"

The girl didn't answer a moment, eliciting a sigh from Seamus. "You know why."

"No, I don't," he snapped back at her. "I don't understand how you're here or why. And why does Daddy Dalton want to see us? Me, I could understand. But Ash…"

"I'm not privy to everything he thinks about," she responded confidently. "I just do what he asks of me."

"Since when?" Seamus asked. There was a slight fire growing back in his eyes, but Ash was more concerned about how utterly bizarre this conversation was. Did Seamus know this girl? What was his connection to her? There were way too many questions for his brain to handle. "That seems a little drone-ish, don't you think?"

"And you're any different? Just look at your-" Merle's words were cut off by the sound of a door whooshing open. Ash could barely see that there was a masked man entering the room. He didn't look like anything special, though, considering there were no markings on his jumpsuit or his mask. "Yes?"

"Master Dalton has sent me to inform you that we've arrived at our destination and that Alpha Squad is set to commence the operation within an hour's time," the man said with a salute across his chest. Merle looked at him and blinked, or Ash assumed she blinked; it was so hard to tell with that stupid mask on.

"Understood." Merle stood shakily on her two feet and then followed the uniformed man out of the doors without even a second glance back. As soon as the doors had closed, Ash's attention was back on Seamus, who looked back to being in that same stupor he'd started in.

"Hey, what was all that about?" he asked. Seamus refused to answer, or even make a single expression appear on his face. Frowning a bit at his newfound reticence, Ash just sat back in a huff. He hated being confined like this. As a yawn came to his lips, Ash remembered what that random Team Neo member had said.  _We've arrived at our destination._  That meant they must have gone somewhere away from Nova Town. Wanting to have an idea of just where they were, and potentially for what purpose, Ash stood. He took a minute to stretch his body, working out all the kinks that had resulted from a restless sleep, before he walked over to the window. It was a little higher than him, but after some stretching he was able to clearly see out of it…and promptly fell back onto the floor from the sight.

Outside the window, approaching from a distance, was the very unmistakable form of the Tower of Mastery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Plot's moving ahead! All systems go! This chapter was, obviously, very dialogue heavy, but I view that as a good thing. Obviously there were a great many things revealed in this chapter: Travis is collecting keystones, there's a connection between the Four Gates and the meteorites from Ancien, and there is certainly some mysterious connection between Seamus and this Merle and Dalton. On top of this, Ash has arrived at Shalour City!
> 
> Yes, I have a lot of threads I'm pulling at here, but a couple notes before I leave you to contemplate them all. 1) Serena's attitude towards Diantha: tensions are running high, and the boy she's in love with is captured while Diantha tells her to ditch that. Station or no, that wouldn't make anyone happy, especially with the battle veteran that Serena has become in the Ancienverse. 2) Astrid. I needed a strong Mega Evolution trainer that wasn't a gym leader, and so Astrid became my go-to choice. Originally, it was going to be Alain. "Originally" meaning for like 5 minutes. I'm happier with Astrid, and I hope you guys are too.
> 
> Each word you write, helps me to write even more words. So, until we meet again, please Review, and Dare to Be Silly.


	6. A Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That moment that you accidentally start writing "Greninja" as "Gekkouga" because it sounds so much cooler in Japanese, but you're writing in English…Oh well, you won't find those mistakes here! Time for Chapter 6!

Chapter 6

A Dream

"Ready, Pikachu? Greninja?" Serena asked from a room inside Seamus' house. The sun had dawned early that morning, or maybe Serena just felt that way after not really sleeping. They had all returned to the house to rest up for the fight ahead. She still felt a little apprehensive about heading into a battle without Ash by her side, but she knew she'd have to do it if she wanted to rescue him. Besides, both Pikachu and Greninja were by her side in his stead.

"Pika!" Pikachu reassured her, complete with a fistpump and all. Greninja just nodded laconically from his corner of the room. Serena nodded back at him, adjusting her fedora on her head. Pikachu leapt over to her shoulder and Serena briefly looked at herself in the mirror. It was odd to see Pikachu on her shoulder. He belonged on Ash's.

"Serena! We're getting moving!" Bonnie yelled from downstairs. The younger girl had left to go be with her brother during the time that Serena was tossing and turning, unable to find a groove in order to sleep.

"All right!" Serena called back. Making one final adjustment to her hat, and making sure her ribbon was set right, Serena finally left the room. The particular room that Elaine had put her up in was a guest room, while Clemont had used Seamus' room in his absence. It was slightly odd to Serena that they had been so welcome in the house, but as she strode down the stairs, she shook it off. Waiting at the bottom was Elaine with a plate full of toast, eggs and bacon, presumably to make some kind of sandwich with. Clemont and Bonnie appeared to be waiting by the door.

"Did you sleep well?" Elaine asked. Serena nodded, just to elate the woman, swallowing just a little as she took the plate and thanked the mother. "Do be sure to bring my son back."

"Of course," Serena said. As she answered, her eyes were looking at the food on her plate. Was Ash eating well in his captivity? She could barely even stomach the thought of eating food at the moment. Nevertheless, Serena's hands moved unconsciously to put the sandwich together as she looked back up at the worried Elaine.

"I would join you, but I'm no battler," she admitted. "Seamus and I may have been at odds from time to time, but he is my son, and I do love him dearly."

"Don't worry, Miss Elaine," Serena answered, her hands having finally finished putting the sandwich together. "I promise that each one of us will work together to bring Seamus back home safe."

"Thank you," the mother whispered. Without warning, Elaine wrapped her arms around Serena in a hug. The hug was so warm and loving, despite the two of them not being related in the slightest, that it almost made Serena wonder how someone with such a kind and loving mother had turned out the way Seamus had in the past. In that single hug, though, Serena could feel every desire that the mother held for her son, and she knew that she would have to bring Seamus back…if Ash wasn't in the process of doing so already. "Be safe out there, please. In the meantime, I'll do some more research on the Four Gates and see what I find."

"We will." That was all Serena needed to say. Elaine pulled away, grasping the plate in her hand as she did so. Serena was still left with the sandwich in her own hands. Bidding one last farewell, Serena slipped her shoes on and joined Clemont and Bonnie at the door. "Let's go."

For some reason, the two siblings stared at her in surprise as she led them out of the door. Maybe it was her tone of voice, or maybe it was because it was something Ash would say. None of that mattered; she was prepared to do what needed to be done. Regardless, the two of them very quickly caught up to her as they proceeded to the Pokémon Center, where all of them planned to meet up in order to set off.

Nova Town was picking itself back up again. Sure, the marketplace was still pretty much trashed, and some houses on that edge of town definitely looked worse for the wear, but that wasn't stopping a lot of the residents from moving on with their lives by setting their stands up along the undamaged parts of the street. Really, whatever damage the attack had caused to Nova Town truly paled in comparison to the destruction following the Ancien Debacle. Serena was even pretty sure that she already saw a blue haired woman with a gray haired man taking measurements of the town, presumably to fix it up.

Smiling to herself that no hope was lost, Serena finally dug into her sandwich as they walked. This was, all too funnily enough, the first time she had actually had a chance to just look at the town. Sure, they had to hurry and get to the Pokémon Center, but Serena wanted to make sure that she was in the right frame of mind moving forward, and if that meant gazing at the fun design of the houses in Nova Town, then she'd take it. As she bit into a particularly crunchy piece of bacon, Serena took note of a rather large turn-off from the major road that she hadn't noticed. Looking down it she saw a dilapidated, yet rather large, house. It didn't look as though it had been harmed in the attack, but simply that it had fallen into disarray. Passing by it, Serena could feel a wave of sadness from the house and noticed that no one else was passing by it or looking into it. Nova Town was certainly quaint, but everything surrounding it seemed to be tinged with an overwhelming sadness.

Shaking those kinds of negative thoughts away with another bite into the sandwich, Serena refocused her gaze back on the approaching Pokémon Center. Bonnie quickly caught up to her side, while Clemont, naturally, lagged behind. She hadn't realized how fast she was walking.

"I can't wait to kick those Team Neo meanies' butts!" Bonnie said enthusiastically. "Me, Dedenne and Squishy are ready!"

"Nene!"

"Brlrb!"

"Bonnie, you should be focusing on keeping the two of them, and yourself, safe," Clemont gasped out, pumping his legs to catch up with them. "We're heading into a battle, not a picnic."

"I know that, Clemont, but I can fight, too," Bonnie assured her older brother as they reached the doors to the Center. Serena smiled as the exchange between siblings fell away so that she could focus on the other few trainers that had all gathered in the Pokémon Center. Whatever consensus the brother and sister had come to, that seemed to be unimportant.

"About time you guys got here," Rocky said. Serena didn't know how to respond to his rather brusque manner. She understood that he wanted to get moving to find Travis, but considering how hurt he'd been yesterday, she wanted to tell him to take it easy (if she wasn't afraid of him ripping her head off).

"Sorry for needing sleep," Bonnie pouted, leveling a glare at the boy. It was almost amusing to see a little girl picking a fight with someone like Rocky, but Christopher appeared to have more brain sense than either of them.

"Knock it off," he called, pushing Rocky over to the corner. Rocky didn't retaliate at all, but did finish clipping a pokeball to his belt. Bonnie, meanwhile, was suddenly yanked back by Clemont's Aipom Arm for some more scolding.

"You ready, Serena?" Bethany asked from the seat. She was tossing a pokeball between her hands, as if worried.

"Of course I am!" Serena tried to answer enthusiastically. Bethany shared a wan smile with her, and the honey-blonde turned to look at the sight of Astrid with her Absol. The blonde trainer was nuzzling her Pokémon's fur in content and it was a lovely sight. She really hoped she could return Pikachu and Greninja to Ash very soon.

"Everyone's here, then," called Diantha's voice as the Champion herself came out of a hallway leading to rooms in the Center. Each of the trainers turned to face her, and she surveyed all of them in turn. "I've put in a call to the League to requisition another helicopter. My team, of course, can take mine, and the League has been able to spare one for the other team."

"Um, excuse me, Champion?" Bethany said, raising her hand like they were kids in a class. Nevertheless, Diantha acknowledged her with a slight nod of her head. "Where is everyone going?" Serena frowned. She hadn't thought of that.

"I plan on going to Snowbelle City," Diantha answered. "It's closer by, so I can return here quicker if I need to. Does anyone wish to go with me?"

"I will," Astrid said, returning her Absol to a pokeball and striding forward. "Both of us lost our keystones, so it'll take care of both of us if we happen to find our keystones there together."

"I'll go, as well," Rocky said, seemingly having calmed down from his earlier disposition. "I've been hunting Travis for weeks, and if you guys are going after him too, then it's best that I stick by your side."

"That's quite understandable," Diantha said. Serena's frown remained on her face. Where did she want to go? To Shalour City…or Snowbelle with the Champion. It was a difficult decision to make, weighing the options before her. Before long, she started to hear Clemont speak, and she knew she had to decide fast.

"I'll go with you as well, Diantha," Serena blurted out before Clemont could finish whatever it was he was saying. The inventor looked surprised, but that had nothing on the highly arched eyebrows of the Champion.

"Are you sure, Serena?" she asked. "You know I'm tracking down my keystone, and that may very well lead you in the opposite direction from Ash."

"That's okay," Serena said. There was nothing else she could say to convince anyone that she wanted to go with the Champion to Snowbelle. Diantha watched her a moment longer before letting off a light laugh.

"Very well. Clemont, can I leave you in charge of the Shalour Team?" she asked, facing the Lumiose Gym Leader. Serena turned her head in time to see Clemont bowing low with a flush of embarrassment in his acceptance of the mantle. "We leave in five."

Diantha wasted no more time in leaving the Center behind, the wings on her outfit billowing backwards. Astrid was quite quick to follow, having no one to say goodbye to. Christopher and Bethany both looked to Rocky but their friend only looked to have a few short words with them before following the rest of the members of their team. Serena turned towards Clemont and Bonnie, only for the younger sibling to suddenly hug her.

"Come back safe, Serena, okay?" Bonnie sniffled out a little. Serena just patted the girl's head a few times.

"I will, Bonnie. Don't worry."

"And you're sure about this, Serena?" Clemont asked. Serena looked up and looked right into her friend's electric blue eyes. Their gazes shared, Serena decided to speak what was on her mind.

"I am," she started with determination. "Truthfully, I'm very scared. I don't know what will happen if we run into Travis, and I have absolutely no idea what Ash is going through right now. Maybe making this decision will prevent me from seeing Ash, but…the only way I can't be there to rescue him, is if you are, Clemont. I trust you, because even though Ash means the world to me, he's a friend to all of us."

"Right," Clemont concurred. Bonnie let go of Serena at this moment and threw her hand in. It was very obvious what she wanted to do, so both Serena and Clemont put their hands in. "Be safe, Serena. We'll see you when we reunite…and I mean all of us."

"I have Pikachu and Greninja with me. I'll be fine, but you two need to look out for each other, okay?"

"Don't worry! I'll protect my big brother no matter what. Now let's bring Ash back!" With that, Bonnie threw her hand into the air, raising the others with it. Once they reached their zenith, the trio clasped their hands in a fist as a display of their resolve.

"Say hi to Korrina for me," Serena closed with. Clemont stood stock-still at the mention of the Shalour Gym's leader.

"O-oh, yeah…forgot we were going to see K-Korrina…" he stammered out. His face was starting to clearly flush and Serena's eyes widened. Was he…? Did Clemont…? Chancing a glance at the younger sister, Serena noticed that Bonnie, for all her perceptiveness, was entirely clueless. Shaking her head, Serena gave a final wave to the siblings and began to leave the Center, Pikachu still on her shoulder and Greninja in front like a bodyguard. "Oh, will do! We'll tell her you say hi!"

"Thanks, Clemont!" Serena said, flashing one more smile before the doors closed. "Let's do this, Pikachu, Greninja."

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered on. The whirring of helicopter blades filled the air, and Serena finished walking up to her own group as one of the helicopters descended into the marketplace. The doors slid opened before even touching down, giving Serena a view of Kathi Lee, who seemed to already be rattling off different things on Diantha's revised itinerary the second the Champion was on the aircraft.

"Cancel all of them," Diantha said seriously. Kathi Lee's clipboard practically tumbled to the ground in shock. "I'm sorry, but right now isn't the time for a strict schedule. You understand, right?"

"Of course," Kathi Lee replied once Serena was on the helicopter. The door slid shut and the honey-blonde Performer took a seat next to Astrid, but across from Diantha. "I just have a lot of phone calls to make."

"I know you'll handle it perfectly. Now, let us be off." Kathi Lee rapped on the window to the pilot, and Serena had to hold onto Pikachu while the aircraft lifted off the ground suddenly. Astrid threw out an arm to brace the both of them, offering a smile to her. It was a completely different experience for Serena to ride in one of these, especially after she was already used to walking everywhere. At least she wasn't airsick, though.

"Serena, I can tell you're still very worried about Ash," Diantha spoke a few minutes after departure. This seemed to grab both her and Pikachu's attention, the yellow mouse's ears twitching a little at the sound of his best friend's name. "Why did you choose to go with me?"

"Because I trust Clemont to rescue Ash safely," she told the Champion. "And because…well, we spent a lot of time in Snowbelle recently, and I know the woods there pretty well, just in case."

"That's a pretty great argument," Astrid said, an impressed smile adorning her face. Only Rocky seemed to be completely disinterested in the conversation taking place, staring out the window lethargically. "He must be a lucky guy to have someone like you."

While Serena, in her most self-absorbed moments, would have agreed with such a statement, she would have rather fired back with the statement that she felt luckier to have him. Ash had made her such a better person on their journey; her confidence, her dream, even her ability to move forward no matter what. All of it came from him. In turn, she liked to think she'd helped him keep going, too. He had said as much after the Master Class. Not really wanting to talk about it anymore, Serena nodded a little and decided to look over the passing forestry herself.

Truth be told, there was still that gnawing part of her brain telling her that she had made the wrong decision, not only for herself, but for Ash's partners that were standing so faithfully by her side. Unsure of how long they had been traveling, Serena noted how the treetops were beginning to get a little frostier, and there seemed to be mountains approaching. She must have been lost in her thoughts a rather long time. Sighing to herself, Serena took Pikachu off her shoulder and held him in both hands.

"Pipika?" he asked, tilting his head a little.

"You're not…mad at me, are you? For choosing to go with Diantha?" she asked Ash's best friend. Pikachu just smiled and held a hand up, reassuring Serena somewhat. Smiling back as best as she could, Serena placed Pikachu down and pulled her winter coat out to slip it on. No more room for doubt. No more room to worry. She made her choice, Ash's Pokémon were sticking by her, and that was all that mattered. Next to her, Astrid was slipping on a purple fur coat that looked just as elegant on her as her other clothes did.

"Thank you, Kathi Lee, you always have a knack of thinking of everything," Diantha said, a silvery coat, very befitting of an actress, being slipped over her figure. The helicopter shuddered, and Serena knew they were descending. The cold air from outside the helicopter was fogging up the windows where they were sitting, barring her from seeing anything outside. At this, Diantha stood.

"You be careful out there, Diantha," Kathi Lee yelled over the loud droning of the engines. "Remember that you have that shoot coming up for  _Breakfast at Chingling's_  in a week, and they want you in top shape."

"I'm well aware, but this is a bigger issue. Don't you agree?" Diantha laughed out as Serena felt the helicopter touch down. This gave her the signal to stand. "Besides, the League is starting soon as well. I need to be around for that."

"Of course, Dianth-" Kathi Lee's voice was cut off by Diantha opening the door to the outside, and the loud rush of wind drowning the woman out. Serena shivered a little at the cold weather that was brought with it, but was the second to follow Diantha out of the vehicle, with Pikachu and Greninja at her side. She quickly realized that they were right in front of the Gym.

It was when the helicopter took off that she turned around and gasped.

Snowbelle City was devastated. Icicles were broken off in droves, littering the already snow laden path. Scorch marks were practically omnipresent on the road, as if a mighty Flamethrower had seared the area. There were no lights on, even the twinkle of one at the Pokémon Center, and the scattered footsteps all over the town suggested that the people had led a mass exodus from the town. Serena's gloved hand made its way to her chest as she struggled to breathe for just a moment. This was horrible…It didn't help that what looked like little Bergmites and Snovers were scattered all over. They were too late.

"Who could do something like this?" Astrid said, shaking her head in disgust. The blonde trainer grabbed her pokeball and called Absol forth. Serena decided that it was a smart idea and she called forth both Braixen and Pancham. Diantha was doing a full look around of the area they were in.

"Travis would do something like this," Rocky said angrily. "He never did learn how to take losing. You know what I'm talking about, how he acted during the Ancien Debacle."

Serena did know; but there was a difference between joining a bad group of people to take revenge, and attacking an innocent town for a small trinket, at best. Had this truly been Travis, then the boy was more far gone than anyone could have thought. More disturbing than that, though, was Rocky himself. It was like the boy was obsessed with vilifying Travis. Maybe it was his own bruised conscience, or maybe it was just this hatred towards one of the people who had made him what he was. Serena didn't know, and right now she was more concerned about the town proper.

"Let's split up," Diantha suggested. "Serena, can you stay here and examine this area. You're familiar with the Gym, yes?"

"Yes," Serena confirmed. How could she refuse such a simple and earnest request from the Champion herself? Diantha gave her a pleased look before turning to Astrid, the trainer still glancing around the area in horror.

"Astrid, will you join me in searching the center part of town? I would do it on my own, but with Gardevoir still in such a condition…"

"It would be my pleasure, Champion," Astrid said, she and Absol striding forward to join the Champion as they began to walk down a nearby slope together. Before they disappeared, Diantha suggested for them to rendezvous at the Center. There was no need to respond to that. Instead, Serena looked at Rocky and noticed how tense he looked. Of course, that may have been because of the cold, considering that he wasn't wearing a jacket. Stepping forward just a little and hearing the snow crunch under her feet, she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asked sweetly. Rocky tried to brush her off, but Serena maintained a grip. "You need to tell me."

"Why?" Rocky asked venomously.

"Because there's something on your mind, and if you don't tell me what it is, we can't work together."

"It's none of your business. I don't need any help."

"Then why did you come back?" Serena asked pointedly. Rocky's body jerked at the question. He didn't seem to have an answer, either. "Look, I don't pretend to know you, or the other members of your group, but I know when someone needs to talk about something."

"It's just Travis, okay?" Rocky finally said, though she had the distinct feeling it was simply to cut her off. "He turned on us, and I'm pissed as hell. Seamus talks about moving on from him as our friend, and Bethany and Christopher, well, they're all ready to forgive him. I'm not. The guy's a piece of work. I know you and Ketchum preach this love and forgiveness stuff…but I'm not there. I'm not about strength anymore, I know it takes more than that. But Travis…I don't think I'm ready to 'move on' until I pound his face into the dirt."

"That's uh…kind of graphic," Serena giggled out nervously. At least now she understood why Rocky was acting like such a jerk to everyone around him. As she thought this, Rocky rubbed the back of his head in frustration.

"Gah, sorry. This is my problem, but I tend to take things out on other people when they seem to butt in," Rocky finally apologized. He looked a little embarrassed at his previous tone of voice and actions, but Serena wasn't one to hold it against him.

"No need to apologize. I think I tend to 'butt in' quite a lot," Serena laughed out. Much to her surprise, Rocky began to laugh with her, though it still seemed more embarrassed than anything. Before they knew it, even the Pokémon around them were joining in. It felt just a little freeing to be able to laugh over something so stupid in the middle of all this.

"That's all right. Just talking about it kind of helped, so thanks," he finally said when their laughter subsided. "What do you say we check the area and see if anybody's here? Sound like a plan?"

"Definitely," Serena agreed. Rocky started to lead them in the opposite direction of where Diantha and Astrid had gone to. The four Pokémon surrounding Serena also decided to follow him, but they hardly made it a few paces when the doors to the Gym opened and the hulking form of Wulfric, the Gym Leader, easily caught her eye. "Wulfric!"

"Ah. Serena, was it?" the hearty Gym Leader asked. The Pokémon and Rocky stopped their forward procession in order to draw a little closer to the new conversation taking place. It was honestly odd to Serena, seeing Wulfric outside of his Gym, but she took that in stride. "Where is Ash?"

"Um…not here, unfortunately," Serena answered, but didn't say much more. Wulfric stroked his mustache in thought, almost like he was calculating what to say next. It almost seemed unlike him. Sure, Wulfric was a master at showing his battle strategies; he had nearly defeated Ash a second time. However, the burly Gym Leader seemed to always say what was on his mind right away. Pikachu was on the ground and Serena noticed a faint bit of electricity sparking near his cheeks.

"That's a shame," Wulfric finally said, folding his arms across his chest. "Hmph, well, anyway…I'm sure you've noticed the damage to the town."

"Yeah, was it Team Neo?" Serena asked. Wulfric grunted a little and Serena felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up a little. Every muscle in her body was screaming that something was different here, and Pikachu's sparks were only confirming it.

"Something like that, I think," Wulfric responded, waving the issue off. "I had the citizens take refuge in the Winding Woods. Would you like to join me to visit them?"

"Sure…" Rocky responded this time. Wulfric looked at him and Serena could have sworn she saw a little smirk come across his face. Then he turned around and started walking in a direction directly opposite from the Gym, towards the Pokémon Center and the woods. He began speaking to them as he went, his back facing them the whole time.

"How is Ash these days?"  _These days_ …It had barely been two weeks.

"Oh, he's good. Training for the Kalos League, of course," Serena said, as gaily as possible. "He and Greninja here have really gotten a lot stronger."

"Yes, I'm sure he and Pikachu both, yes?" Wulfric said with another throaty chuckle. "They both gave quite the battle against me."

"Definitely," Serena chirped out. "My heart was thumping that entire battle, especially when Noivern took out Avalugg with a Flamethrower…"

"Ho! I certainly didn't see that attack coming. Really made a nasty burn condition that lasted through the whole battle!" Wulfric laughed out. Serena stopped, and the Snowbelle Gym Leader had clearly heard the ceasing sound of her steps. He turned back and looked at her. Rocky was at the side, his brow furrowed in utter bamboozlement. "Aren't we going to the woods?"

"Greninja, Pikachu, Braixen, Pancham," Serena said calmly. She didn't order a single move, but all four of them seemed to know just what she was ordering. Greninja was the first to move, the shining white blade of Cut appearing in his hand. By the time the attack made contact with Wulfric, so had Pikachu's Thunderbolt, Pancham's Dark Pulse and Braixen's Flamethrower. The attacks made Wulfric fly a little backwards, crying out in pain…only it didn't sound like Wulfric. It wasn't even beginning to look like Wulfric, and the town was beginning to not even look destroyed. It was looking as pristine as ever in some spots.

"There!" Rocky cried out, and Serena threw her gaze upwards. A Mismagius was floating above "Wulfric's" head, its eyes glowing a creepy red color. There was no doubt it was the one casting the illusion on them, part of which was fading.

"How…how did you know? You don't seem smart enough to spot a disguise or illusion like this!" cried the fake Wulfric. Serena could swear that she recognized the voice mixed in with the illusory voice. She took a step forward.

"Because Wulfric likes hot blooded battles and saying what needs to be said. He gave Ash a pretty good verbal lashing, but you had to think about it," Serena pointed out, her hands on her hips in triumph. "Also, Ash never battled with Noivern in the Snowbelle Gym, much less defeated Wulfric's Avalugg with a Flamethrower, a move he doesn't even know."

"Tch…guess that you're more than just some eye candy for Ketchum." The voice was now ultra-clear, the Wulfric tones having completely faded away. She didn't need three guesses to know that the masked man now standing in front of them was, in fact, Travis. Rocky's body language was enough to give it away without the tone of voice. "Mismagius, what are you doing up there? You were supposed to hold the illusion long enough for me to get the keystone from that pathetic Gym Leader."

"Magius…" the Magical Pokémon replied, continuing to circle through the air. Serena shifted her foot and both Pikachu and Greninja made to stand in front of her while Braixen and Pancham stood at her sides. She couldn't see Travis' face, but it wasn't hard to tell how unchanged he was, or that he was angry about the situation. If anything, he was worse than before.

"Fine…use Shadow Ball. Crush them."

"Guys, get ready for it," Serena called out to the quartet of Pokémon. At the same time, Rocky called his Rhyperior out, which emerged with a great roar. Travis just remained standing there, made all the creepier by the fact that she couldn't see his face under the mask. Mismagius twirled in midair and then fired off a large Shadow Ball, the black orb pulsing with energy. Serena clenched her fist, and readied for battle. Greninja made a move before she could order anything. He slammed his hands together and fired out a Water Shuriken. The attack impacted with the Shadow Ball, slowing its approach in time for Greninja to rush forward and slice through it with Cut. The signal to attack had been given.

"Pancham, use Dark Pulse! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" It felt odd giving orders to Pikachu once more, but she was more than pleased that the Mouse Pokémon took the orders handily. He dashed forward, a fierce expression on his face. Pancham followed, his stubby legs keeping pace with Pikachu. From his hands, he fired the dark beam that was Dark Pulse while Pikachu's body shimmered with electricity before firing Thunderbolt off at the Mismagius. The Magical Pokémon flitted and floated through the air, but Pikachu's Thunderbolt still managed to hit it, making it pause long enough for Dark Pulse to strike as well.

"Phantom Force," Travis ordered. His voice was so cold and distant that Serena wondered if he was really even there. Mismagius' eyes glowed and it vanished from sight.

"Be careful. That thing could reappear anywhere!" Rocky shouted out. Serena whipped her head back and forth, and so did the rest of the Pokémon. Only Greninja seemed to be calm, his eyes closed as he stood still. In the brief silence, Serena could hear her own breathing and noticed that the snow in certain places was starting to look less disturbed.

"Gren!" Greninja cried out, just as Mismagius reappeared. Only it appeared right in front of Braixen, making her starter stumble back a little.

"Don't let it scare you, Braixen. Use Fire Blast!" Serena commanded. Braixen twirled her wand and stabbed forward. Mismagius floated back a bit, as if scared of the stick, just before the five-pronged Fire Blast burst outward, engulfing Mismagius with a great cry. More areas of the city were looking normal, like an assault hadn't been launched on them. A light bulb went on in Serena's brain.

"Rhyperior, use Rock Wrecker!" Rocky roared out. Serena whipped around to see Rhyperior opening his arms wide and summoning a red glowing rock in between them. The Performer stepped over and grabbed Rocky.

"Don't!" she hissed. He just turned to her like she was completely mad. "You'll destroy the town."

"The town's already destroyed," he countered. This made Serena shake her head.

"No. It's just an illusion that Mismagius is creating. If you attack with an attack as powerful as Rock Wrecker…"

"Gah! Rhyperior, cancel that and use Stone Edge!" Rocky ordered. Rhyperior looked confused but, instead of flinging the rock forward, slammed it apart into pieces that whirled around his body. It then pitched its hands forward and flung the stones straight at Mismagius. "So, you're saying that if we defeat this thing, we can clear the illusion on the entire town."

"Pretty much," Serena told him. Her eyes watched as Mismagius zoomed around, avoiding all of the stones being flung at it.

"You losers really think a simple illusion is all it is? I've had you under my control since you entered this city," he cackled, his voice sounding metallic from the shouting. Serena whipped around angrily. "Rapid Fire Shadow Ball!"

"Mismag!" the Ghost type cried out. Around its body swirled at least ten different Shadow Balls, then it began to fire all of them one after the other for their entire group.

"Greninja, can you follow my orders?" Serena asked right as the Shadow Balls came hurtling towards their group. Greninja nodded, giving Serena a chance to smile. "Use Double Team and break down those Shadow Balls with Cut!"

"Ninja!" Greninja held his webbed palms together and within seconds, ten forms of Greninja were appearing around the area, some of them shielding the other Pokémon. Just as the Shadow Balls reached the clones, each of the Greninja copies slashed forward with their white blade, breaking them apart.

"Great. Now, Pikachu and Braixen, don't give Mismagius a chance! Use Thunderbolt and Flamethrower right through the copies!" Serena screamed, her fist balled as she threw her hand out. Pikachu seemed to grin at the order, and she knew she must have done something very Ash-like for him to do so.

"Brai-xen!" Braixen cried, the Flamethrower shooting straight through the Greninja copy unexpectedly.

"Pikachuuuuuuu!" Pikachu yelled, his Thunderbolt doing the exact same thing. The lightning seared right through the Flamethrower, making it crackle with destructive quality. The blast impacted with Mismagius and exploded in a glorious blaze of red, orange and yellow sparks. Serena pumped her fist in victory, but when the smoke and embers cleared, Mismagius looked only slightly roughed up.

"You stand no chance. Mismagius, Phantom Force." Once more, Mismagius vanished, leaving the Pokémon in a state of confusion. "We're Team Neo. We're the Delta Squad. I don't care that your team once defeated me in the Tournament. Alone, you're nothing."

"Guys, just relax. Greninja, can you find Mismagius?" The Ninja Pokémon didn't answer, currently having his eyes closed; Serena took that as a very confident yes. For her part, Serena didn't move her head. Then Greninja's eyes snapped open, and he rushed forward, his webbed feet glowing white. In fact…he was aiming right for her. Serena took a step back and Greninja's leg slammed upward before his other foot swiped across. She watched with wide eyes as Greninja's Aerial Ace made contact with Mismagius and sent it tumbling across the area. Of course, the Magical Pokémon managed to right itself in the air.

This wasn't doing anything for them. No matter how many hits Mismagius was taking, it was proving more durable than she'd expected or preferred, even if a lot of the illusion was nearly gone. Her eyes flitted across the area, looking for something she could do. Strangely enough, it all occurred to her once she saw all of their Pokémon together. Affixing a grin on her face, she turned to Rocky.

"Follow my lead? I have a very Ash-esque strategy in mind," she told him. Rocky raised his eyebrow skeptically for a moment before giving a grin; she had his approval. So, she leaned in and whispered his part of the plan, earning a nod. "All right, Pancham use a double lined Stone Edge!"

"Pancham cham!" Pancham cried out and he slammed both of his tiny fists onto the ground. The glowing stones jutted up from the ground in two distinct lines on his sides that were heading right for Mismagius. Now it was time to put Braixen's performance skills to good use.

"Pikachu, Braixen, get on top and leap over to Mismagius!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, springing upwards with his tail to reach the top of the rocks while Braixen just jumped onto it. They began to leap across the rocks towards their target. Their next timing had to be perfect.

"Greninja, use Double Team," Serena said firmly. Greninja said nothing but within seconds, his clones were swarming around the area. "Now, provide cover with Water Shuriken."

"Greninja!" the Ninja Pokémon complied. Each of his copies called forth the watery blades in their hands and then lobbed them all at Mismagius. Said Pokémon didn't even wait for its trainer's orders to begin blasting away the shuriken with Shadow Ball. Serena didn't pay attention to that, though, focusing more on how close Pikachu and Braixen were.

"Now, you two! Iron Tail and Fire Spin!" she roared. Braixen was the first to leap forward, spinning her wand around before sending the spiral of flame out that engulfed Mismagius and held it in place long enough for Pikachu to slam onto the Pokémon's head with Iron Tail.

"Now, Rhyperior!" Serena turned to Rocky and quickly gave him a high five as Rhyperior charged through the mess of Greninja clones at the bottom of the Stone Edge ravine. While it ran with shuddering steps, it was summoning the red rock of Rock Wrecker, only now it was close enough that it wouldn't cause collateral damage. With a final roar, Rhyperior chucked the stone forward, and it collided with Mismagius, nearly driving it into the ground. Greninja's clones all vanished and he dashed forward with speed, clearly intending to end the battle.

"Dazzling Gleam." The command, and its execution were sudden. Mismagius rose slightly higher into the air, its body glowing brightly before that light came to a zenith and blasted outward. Not only that, but the attack impacted on more than just the Pokémon. Serena felt herself hit by it as well and she went flying backwards, only safe because Greninja, despite being hit, was fast enough to catch both her and Braixen. Pikachu and Pancham crashed into each other, rolling around the ground. Rocky went in the other direction, though she was still able to easily see him. Clutching her chest in slight pain, Serena stood.

"Are you guys okay?" Serena asked. Greninja was on his feet in seconds, holding onto Braixen for just moment. Pikachu just shook his head before giving a victorious fistpump. "Great, then let's counterattack."

"Pika!" Pikachu yelled out. Serena stepped forward and opened her mouth to give her next command…only her body suddenly started feeling heavy. Her knees buckled down, slamming into the cold ground without her command, and before long her arms started feeling like they, too, were being slammed into the ground. Under immense effort, she turned her head to see the same thing happening to all of the other Pokémon as well. The same looked to be happening to Rocky.

"So, now you decide to step in…" Travis breathed, his voice even more eerie. Serena gritted her teeth as she looked up and saw a Medicham standing there silently next to Travis. "Well, whatever. This battle's over. I was hoping to use these losers to lead me to the real Wulfric so I could steal his keystone, but this calls for a change in plans."

"Travis…you creep," Rocky screamed out under the intense pressure. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm doing what needs to be done." Serena's eyes narrowed; some of the other Team Neo members had said the same thing. Was it like their slogan, or something?

"I guess you think you need to act like an idiot, going around blowing places up. Hurting people."

"People are of no consequence to me. Pokémon, too," Travis spat. "When did you lose your spine, Rocky? Was it during the tournament? Pokémon are tools. People are tools. If you can't get what you want by using them, then kick them to the curb. Eliminate them.  _Crush them_."

"That's…" Serena gasped out. She tried to get up, but still found that she couldn't. None of them could at the moment, and the exertion of trying to do so was far too much. "You  _can't_  believe that. I know you guys lost your way, but people and Pokémon…we work together…for a brighter future. For a-"

"You're naïve," Travis suddenly cackled out. He turned and looked at her, or she presumed that he did given his mask. "In fact, why don't I show you just how naïve you are? You came here, hoping to pick a battle didn't you? But you lost. Rocky, you remember what happens to losers on our team."

"No!" Serena screamed. She couldn't watch it. She couldn't see another trainer get separated from their Pokémon out of sheer malice. She couldn't see that same Pokémon get brutalized. Travis was deaf to her cry, changing direction for Rocky himself.

"I'm not…like that…" Rocky spat in return. "I won't…release Rhyperior."

"I wasn't going to make you," Travis replied. For a brief, impossible moment, Serena felt that maybe Travis had grown a conscience. That lasted all of three seconds before he brought his foot slamming down onto Rocky's face. " _You're_ the loser. Not your Pokémon. And I  _destroy_  losers!" He slammed his foot onto Rocky's face once more. Serena felt tears coming to her eyes at the sight of such violence.

"Man…you're a real piece of trash, Travis," Rocky laughed out. From between Travis' legs, she could see blood on Rocky's face, along with a defiant smile.

"Yeah…we'll see how long that attitude lasts," Travis snarled out, once more slamming into his face. More than that, he began kicking liberally over every inch of Rocky's body. "You're a loser!" Another kick. "You're weak!" One more time. Serena couldn't stop the tears. "You're worthless! And I'm going to change all that!"

"Please, stop it!" Serena cried out, knowing that there was little more she could do under the circumstances. Travis rotated his head a little.

"Oh? You want me to stop? You asked for this fight, you stupid girl!"

"Pika!" Pikachu growled mercilessly. Travis just cocked his head before smacking the side of it.

"Oh, I've just come up with a brilliant idea," Travis sang out. He sounded deranged as he said it. "If you seem to love your precious Rhyperior so much, maybe I'll make it smash your brains in for you. Mismagius, Hypnosis if you will."

"No…Rhyperior…no…" Rocky grunted out. His protests were mixed in with coughs and slight spits of blood. Nothing the trainer said was making a difference. Mismagius' eyes glowed, and Rhyperior appeared to stand underneath the effects of Gravity. With shuddering, slow steps, Rhyperior stomped forward, and its arm began to glow, like it was preparing to use Hammer Arm. Travis began to laugh callously, the echoing sound of it through his mask making it sound like he was everywhere all at once.

"Rhy…per…i…or…" Rhyperior grunted out and Serena could see it struggling to cease its movements; Rhyperior didn't want to do any of this at all.

"Cut it out! Please!" Serena screeched. She didn't want to see any of this. Neither did her Pokémon, from the way they were crying out as well. Travis stopped his laughing for a moment.

"Not a chance," he snarled out. "I'm making you watch. You're going to watch until his body is a bloody pulp…and all because of the wittle Pokémon he woved so much. You guys are pathetic!"

"Pikaaaaaa!"

"Braiiii!"

"Ha ha," Travis began laughing. She still couldn't see his face, but the sick realization was there all the same: Travis was  _enjoying_  this. He liked causing the pain. "Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"STOP IIIIIIIIIIT!" Serena screamed, desperately hoping for some kind of miracle just as Rhyperior's Hammer Arm began to descend towards a crying Rocky's face. She tried to shut her eyes, but just couldn't bring herself to do it. Travis continued laughing, his head thrown back in absolute mirth.

"This is what it means to be on the other side! To oppose Team Neo," he cackled out. "To oppose me!"

"Ice Shard." Serena thought she had heard wrong…at least until the fast-flying blades of ice came soaring out of nowhere, breaking off into multiple pieces. From her position, Serena could see them all impact with various different targets. One hit Medicham, and Serena felt her body no longer being pressed down by that awful weight. The other nearly hit Mismagius, but only seemed to nick it. The last two impacted with Rhyperior, sending it careening off balance, and Travis' face. That final one caused the mask on his face to go flying off and clatter on the ground. Serena stood and looked at the newcomer to field. "I'm not too late, am I?"

"Wulfric!" Serena gasped in relief at the sight of the Snowbelle Gym Leader and his Abomasnow. The best part was that this one was real.

"I was taking care of some Pokémon in the forest when I…you know? Heard this rustle going on," he said, holding a hand out to Serena. She took it and gratefully stood. "I had to see just who was causing such a problem in my city. Seems it's some upstart brat who's too cocky with himself."

"You're the one who's cocky, old man…" Travis growled out. He stood, and with his mask gone, his face was now fully visible. That was what scared her the most. As the mask had been knocked off, Serena could see how different Travis' face looked. It was cut all over, surrounded by scars. Worst of all, though, was that a good three-quarters of his face was stretched over like it had been burned, highlighted even more by his red hair. To the Performer's eyes, it looked painful with every minute twitch of his face. And Travis' face was twitching, all right, staring at the two trainers lividly. "Now, hand over your keystone, or I'm sending your entire pathetic town straight to hell."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Well, this chapter got dark pretty quick. Originally, the scene of Travis smashing Rocky's face in wasn't going to even exist (mostly because of how dark it is) but then I figured it would be a nice way to show just how far gone Travis is. So, the identity of the mysterious person that directly attacked the League and Siebold is revealed to be Travis, or rather clarified given his appearance here. Obviously, unlike the others, he hasn't changed his ways. If anything, he's worse, even if he's suffering from wounds inflicted on him in the last story (i.e. when Magmortar's Flame Body activated on top of him). On top of this, our main trio has split. How will they come back together and when? That's a question for another time. I hope you enjoyed the brief fight against Mismagius. When we return to the group at Snowbelle, you can expect some high-flying action and a team up of at least Serena and Wulfric against Travis.
> 
> Ah! Quick note on this chapter's title if you didn't realize it (it's very subtle). It's a partial reference to when Travis said "when you wake up you'll find it was all just a dream" to Siebold. He was using Mismagius' illusions then, so now at Snowbelle he's using it again. The illusions are the dream. I think too much…
> 
> So, hope you enjoyed this chapter, and do please Review and, as I always say, Dare to Be Silly.


	7. A Crush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lately I've been feeling this strange desire to write a Marissonshipping fic…Damn it, Alain! Why couldn't you be easier to place in the Ancienverse…stupid gullibility and working for Team Flare. Oh, well, hope you all enjoy Chapter 7!

Chapter 7

A Crush

"Yay! Yay! We get to see Korrina again!" Bonnie was cheering over the loud sounds of the helicopter they were seated on. Her face, along with Dedenne's and Squishy's were pressed up against the window, looking out at the forest below. Clemont decided to take a look himself, noting that they were moving at a very quick speed. Faster than he had believed they would, at least. If they kept making time like this, he figured that they might be able to get to Shalour before anyone from Team Neo could. Not that he was completely confident of that.

"Bonnie, you need to calm down," he finally said after a moment, putting a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder. She drew back from the window with a pout on her lips.

"Don't be such a downer, Clemont…" Bonnie mumbled out a little. Clemont shifted in his seat on the helicopter, just as it rocked a little. He almost fell into his sister, but managed to stop and right himself.

"This isn't a vacation, Bonnie," he told his sister sternly. Bonnie made no expression at his words, so the older brother decided that was his chance to continue. "We're heading into a possible battle. When we get there, you need to stay back, okay?"

"But Clemont, I can fight too…" Bonnie protested loudly. Clemont, not wanting to hear his sister's arguments, grabbed her and shook his head furiously.

"No, Bonnie. No buts," he said. "I care about you too much. You can defend yourself, but I don't want you to get involved in the battle as much as possible."

"Okay…" Bonnie finally acquiesced her brother. Sighing in a bit of relief, Clemont reached over and took his sister into a light hug to reassure her. She returned it for just a moment before drawing away. "You promise, too! Promise me that you'll be okay?"

"I promise, Bonnie," he answered with a smile. Feeling satisfied, Bonnie turned back towards the window to watch the receding forest. Clemont just sat back, trying to get his nerves under control. He was really not a fan of this sort of stuff. Not that he wasn't prepared to fight a battle if it needed to be fought. Ash helped to really hammer that into him over their time traveling together. That wasn't the issue. It was more of the anticipation. Back in Ancien, and indeed most situations, he was often just thrown into the battle without a moment to think about it. This was one of the few times where he knew he was heading into a battle and he had to make sure he was mentally ready to take part.

Clemont adjusted his glasses a little, and gripped the handle of his backpack while he looked across the helicopter at Christopher and Bethany. Even heading off to a dangerous situation, the both of them looked at ease, with Bethany resting her head on Christopher's shoulder. It was a nice sight that reminded him of Ash and Serena; he truly hoped that he could help the two of them reunite soon. As he watched them, his mind began to wander, mostly towards other inventions that he wanted to make, but as his glazed eyes once more slid over the sight of the resting couple, a blush creeped its way up his face.

He was used to the sight of a happy couple by this point, having traveled with one for the last two months. But lately, really just the last month, seeing a couple, any couple really, started making his face flush and his mind go elsewhere…He supposed he could blame it all on the encounter with that girl who was so similar to him, but that wasn't the truth of it. Everything that was making him flush in some form of embarrassment came down to a conversation he had with Bonnie that made him realize something about Korrina…who they were going to see now. That thought alone sent off alarm bells in his head. This wasn't normal. Nope. His first love was science! Not that roller-skating blonde whirl of energy that made his heart beat just a little faster than usual.

"I can see it! I can see it!" Bonnie suddenly exclaimed, thankfully drawing Clemont away from his distressing thoughts. He leaned over his sister, and sure enough, he saw the sight of the Tower of Mastery. This was it.

The helicopter began to descend slowly, clearly aiming for the beach that was sprawled before the Tower of Mastery. Through the small gap in the window that Bonnie left for him to look through, Clemont could see that the tide had receded, allowing obvious access to the tower itself. Christopher and Bethany both stood, their hands clasped while their free hands grasped their pokeballs. They were clearly more than ready for a major fight. Bonnie emulated them once she'd drawn away from the window. Only Clemont was left sitting, but unlike the others, he waited for the aircraft to touch down safely before he stood. Christopher was the first to open the door, leading everyone out. Clemont hung back for a moment to open the partition between himself and the pilot.

"How long are you waiting for?" he asked the pilot. Said pilot turned in his seat and handed over a small circular device to the inventor.

"We only have clearance to touch down, and we don't want the chopper to be damaged in case anything happens," he explained quickly. "Use that to contact me when you're ready to depart and I'll be here in thirty minutes tops."

"Okay. Thank you very much," Clemont said with a light bow. From outside the helicopter, he could hear Bonnie calling for him, so he pocketed the small device in his jumpsuit and leapt out of the helicopter. Once he trudged a bit through the sand to join the others, he heard the loud sound of the helicopter taking off into the sky. Looking back at the group, he noticed that Bethany was standing a little bit in the water.

"Chris, look at this! It's amazing! How come we never came here?" she said to him with the giddiest smile on her face. That didn't come as a surprise to Clemont; he remembered that she was very into traveling.

"Not on the itinerary?" he joked a little. Bethany's lips turned into a playful pout and she backtracked to grab his hand and drag him forward a little. "Well, you're the leader, right Clemont?"

"Yeah, what do you say, big brother?" Bonnie cheered a little, latching onto his arm.

"Uh…right. We should head to the Tower of Mastery. This way," he said, clearing his throat just a little. Despite moving at a slower speed than perhaps was prudent under whatever circumstances may have been approaching them, Clemont took the lead of the group and started walking forward. He felt the soft sand underneath his shoes as he walked across the band of sand that led to the Tower of Mastery. The whole time, he heard Bethany oohing and aahing behind him at the locale. Bonnie remained attached to his side. It was when they finally reached the tower entrance that their procession was interrupted.

"Hey, is that you Clemont?" Clemont was more than familiar with the voice calling his name. He craned his neck upward and noticed the blonde Gym Leader of Shalour City up a couple floors, waving down at him. He smiled widely and waved back to her. He chose to ignore the slight palpitations in his heart.

"Hi Korrina!" Bonnie yelled enthusiastically.

"Hold on a moment! I'll be right down!" She disappeared seconds later.

"Friend?" Christopher asked. Clemont nodded and was about to say something, but Bonnie very easily beat him to the punch.

"Yeah! She's the Shalour Gym Leader," Bonnie said ecstatically. "She's really cool and fun, and she has a really cu-"

"Yeah, we traveled with Korrina for a while around the start of our journey through the region," Clemont admitted, cutting his sister off before she'd say something she could regret later. Bonnie just glared at him. "She's a really nice and friendly person. I'm sure you'll get along with her."

"Does she live here?" Bethany expressed with shining eyes. It was almost off-putting, given her usual demeanor. It certainly caused Clemont to chuckle nervously. Still laughing a little, he turned back to the entrance in time to see Korrina rocket out on her roller-skates and collide with him in a hug. His glasses messed up a little, Clemont felt his whole entire face heat up to a level he never thought was humanly possible.

"It's been so long, Clemont!" Korrina expressed, drawing back with a wide grin. Once she had, she pumped her arm a few times in excitement. Behind her, Lucario had appeared and Bonnie was running up to him and greeting him. "You're looking good, Clemont."

"Th-thanks," he stuttered out. Curse his tongue for getting so tied right at that moment. "You look pretty, too…er, pretty good, too."

"Thanks! Lucario and I are training real hard, right Lucario?" Lucario grunted with a nod in Clemont's direction. He breathed in relief. Well, it was actually a two-sided relief: he was relieved that she and Lucario were okay, but also that Korrina hadn't caught his slipup. What was with this girl and making him forget the rational, and predominant, side of his mind? Bonnie appeared unaware as well. "Me and Grandpa were just, uh, 'practicing the tenets of Mega Evolution'…which is a really fancy way of saying we were looking over those weird things he wrote on the Scroll of Secrets."

"Not those weird things again…" Bonnie groaned out. "I thought that was going to be some really cool stuff, but it was so…boring…" Korrina laughed loudly, like a warm summer's day. Clemont blinked. What the heck was he just thinking?

"Yeah, grandpa's definitely weird sometimes," Korrina agreed, sharing the laugh with Bonnie now. "Hey, where are Ash and Serena? Aren't you guys still traveling together? I saw Serena in the Master Class! She was really awesome! Ooh, I also saw you guys in the Kalos Team Tournament and-what's wrong?"

It was no surprise that Korrina had picked up on the fact that something was wrong, considering that even Bonnie had hung her head. Clemont, knowing that his sister was in no state to answer, decided he'd have to man up and do it. It even made him forget the unscientific thumping in his chest. "Serena's in Snowbelle City for the moment and Ash is…"

"He's captured," Christopher finished, "by Team Neo."

"Those creeps, huh?" Korrina said, an attractive frown on her face as she folded her arms. Clemont resisted the urge to slap himself; Hurricane Korrina had returned in full force (at least, that was his name for this odd phenomenon). "I saw what they did at the League Summit, and it makes me so mad! Lucario and I had to do some really intense training just to burn off the energy. What did they want with Ash?"

"No idea," Clemont confessed.

"Then you don't know where they are? 'Cause if you did, I'd totally go with you to kick their butts!" Korrina said with a triumphant fistpump that Lucario emulated. Clemont was sure that she would follow through on her promise, too, though.

"No, we don't know," Bethany said, her tone having become more serious, even if she was still in the presence of the Tower of Mastery. "We were attacked, too…in Nova Town."

"Never heard of it," Korrina admitted, though not unkindly. Christopher took this moment to step forward, his hand separating from Bethany's.

"We do know one thing, though: they seem to be after keystones," he said sternly. Korrina looked surprised for a moment and her eyes seemed to flit over to Clemont, as if asking for confirmation. The inventor nodded.

"Well, that's okay. I keep my keystone on me at all times, see?" With that, she held her hand up to show the glowing keystone on her glove. It looked just the same as always, and Clemont was relieved at that fact. Not only did it mean that Team Neo hadn't gotten here yet, but it also meant that her keystone was likely entirely safe. Team Neo would have to pry it from her cold, dead hands if they wanted it, and there was no way Clemont was letting that happen.

"Well, that's one less thing to worry about," Bonnie stated, pointing out the rather obvious. Clemont wanted to agree, but he still felt like there was something they were missing.

"Besides, I would never let them touch my keystone! If they want it, they'll be in for a rough fight with me and Lucario! Right?" Lucario grunted, making his own fighting pose and punching forward like a boxer.

"Don't tell me we wasted a trip here," Christopher sighed out. Bethany slapped his arm in remonstration.

"We did  _not_  waste a trip here, no matter what you say," Bethany scolded him before turning imploringly to Korrina. "Can we take a look inside the tower? I'm a huge fan of local attractions and I would be so stoked to see it."

"Sure! Whoever you are…" Korrina said exuberantly, if with a slight touch of confusion.

"Oh. I'm Bethany, and this is my boyfriend, Christopher." For some reason, Clemont couldn't stop himself from blushing at the mention of the two of them being a couple. He was only grateful that Bonnie's attention was on relaying something else instead of staring at his face.

"Oh, yeah! Korrina, did you know that Ash and Serena are dating now?" Bonnie told her, jumping up and down excitedly. "They're totally cute together!"

"Really? !" Korrina gushed. "That's soooo awesome! I wish I could find someone…" Clemont rubbed the back of his head, really not liking the turn that the conversation was taking here. Korrina twirled around on her roller-skates, and for a moment, he could swear that she stopped for half a second to linger her gaze on him. Then she halted her twirling, facing towards the entrance to the tower. "All right, Grandpa is usually a stick in the mud about letting people into the tower, but since I know half of you, I'm sure he'll be…okay…with it…"

"Korrina?" Clemont asked after Korrina didn't respond for what seemed like almost a full minute. She just continued to stare ahead as the sky around them seemed to darken just a little. Clemont stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder. She appeared to relax under his touch, but when she turned to him, she looked worried. "What's wrong?"

"Grandpa…" she said, her eyes widening larger than usual. "He has a keystone, too…and his Pokémon are in the meditation chamber today."

"Then we'll go to him first," Clemont assured her. Korrina swallowed and raised her hand, like she wanted to put it over Clemont's.

That never happened. A loud whirring sound was heard, so high-pitched, Clemont felt that he might have needed to cover his ears if the thing that was making it didn't impact with the surface of the water so quickly. Unfortunately, it did. All five of their heads turned rapidly (as did Lucario's) to see a missile streaking towards the water surrounding the Tower of Mastery. Clemont's felt like his eyes were reflecting the horrible sight of it, reminding him distinctly of the day before, and the assault that had rocked Nova Town. Following the trail of what had been the missile's path, Clemont noticed that a giant airship was blotting out the sun, making everything seem darker than it should have been.

Water splashed into the air, practically obscuring the Tower of Mastery from view, even though they were right in front of it. He felt his jumpsuit get drenched from the pouring water as his gaze was locked on the airship. They had only been a few minutes early, and it already seemed like they had a fight on their hands. Clemont's fists clenched. Was that where Ash was? Was it Team Neo's base? It would make sense, given what he knew about where that signal had truly been coming from before it was cut off. As the water began to recede from the air, Clemont caught an even less pleasant sight as men, in the same jumpsuits from earlier, began to descend to the ground like paratroopers, their numbers concealed by the spray.

"Grandpa!" he heard Korrina yell. Before he could even turn to her, the energetic blonde girl was skating forward into the tower. Another missile streaked forward, striking into the water on the other side of the tower. Clemont grabbed Bonnie to shield her from the water.

"Bonnie, into the tower. Find a place to hide, now!" he said sternly. Bonnie saluted, dashing forward into the tower as the first wave of troops landed on the beach. Clemont gripped a pokeball. "Let's go, Bunnelby!"

"Cacturne!"

"Crawdaunt!" The three Pokémon all emerged from their pokeballs, looking ready for battle. Clemont's eyes scanned the area, looking for how effectively he could battle their opponents that were sending out Mightyena and Scraggy. The water around them seemed to be acting strangely, and Clemont very quickly figured out how to get rid of the Team Neo members that were stalking towards them through the sand.

"We have to hold here and keep them in the sand," Clemont told the other two. They didn't say anything, but they very quickly got the command.

"Crawdaunt, use Sludge Bomb!"

"Cacturne, Flash!" Crawdaunt held its position and a dirty glob appeared near its mouth before firing outward. The attack collided with the sandy stretch, creating what appeared to be a layer of toxic material. The other side paused and fired off Dark Pulses at their team. At that moment, Cacturne's body glowed, blasting outward in a bright light that made the attacks miss entirely. Clemont made his move.

"Bunnelby, use Dig on the sides of the sand stretch as quickly as you can," Clemont said confidently. Bunnelby cried out loudly and dug into the sides. He watched as his faithful Pokémon began to dig in and out, creating holes on the sides. The enemy's Pokémon didn't seem to be able to get a bead on him. More importantly, though, Clemont noticed that the holes he was making were filling with water as the tide moved in. It was moving faster, too, on account of it. "Great job, Bunnelby. Come on back!"

Bunnelby made one final dig underneath the ground and popped up by his trainer's side. Clemont watched and felt accomplished as the tide suddenly rushed in on the path they were standing by. The Team Neo members didn't stand a chance as the water that was rushing faster thanks to Bunnelby's holes came blasting across them, sweeping them up in it. Confident that the first part of that battle was over, Clemont adjusted his glasses and turned towards the entrance of the Tower of Mastery, proceeding inside. He had barely made it two steps when he caught sight of Lucario blasting Aura Spheres at some of the Team Neo members parachuting in through the glass windows.

"Bunnelby, use Mud Shot!" Clemont roared. Bunnelby bounced into the air, the gobbets of dirt appearing by his ears before he flung them forward. Mixing with the barrage of Aura Spheres, they all collided with the Team Neo members and their Pokémon, flinging them against the walls.

"Thanks for that, Clemont!" Korrina cried out as she skated forward. "I'm off to help Grandpa!"

"Not alone!" he cried in protest. Of course, she was moving far too fast for him to be able to keep up. Still, he was going to try, and he knew that if he put his mind to it, he could run like the wind as he did in Ancien City.

"Not at all, I'm afraid." A puff of dark smoke billowed up in the center of the room as suddenly three figures appeared in front of them, all of them having Pokémon out and battle ready. It didn't stop Korrina from pulling an impressive skating move by grinding on the center of the Lucario statue in the center of the hall and proceeding up the stairs. Clemont ground his teeth a little; he really didn't want Korrina to go alone, not if the dangerous Team Neo was up there.

"Don't worry, big brother! I'll go help her out!" Bonnie yelled. Clemont looked up and noticed that she had somehow climbed up the statue for safety. That brought a whole different kind of worry into her brother's mind: both his worry of her falling  _and_ for her sanity.

"Bonnie, that's-"

"Mothim, use Electroweb on her!"

Clemont's eyes widened as the enemy's Mothim flitted towards the prone form of his sister. Bonnie, too, looked freaked out and her arms let go of what she was hanging onto, tipping away from the statue.

"Bonnie!" he yelled, running forward. He was too far away from her, though, and his stomach sank like a stone.

"Skuntank, please," called the leader of the group, who Clemont believed was called Tau. Skuntank suddenly ran forward with surprising speed for its size, flitting under Bonnie just in time for her to bounce off, much to Clemont's surprise. His sister rolled along the ground harmlessly, springing back to her feet with shaking fists.

"I'm okay, Clemont!" she called out. Clemont breathed in relief, even if he had found Tau's reaction to be extremely odd. "Hey, Squishy, do you think you could help me get to Korrina?"

"Blrb!" Squishy called out and everyone's eyes were drawn to the sight of Squishy's body glowing a bright green before numerous green streaks sailed from outside the Tower and into its body, about ten of them. The bright green eclipsed the entire room and when it faded, Squishy had taken the familiar form of a dog that Bonnie leapt on top of.

"Let's go!" Squishy seemed to bark and then, in a single leap, scaled about a floor of the tower and began to bound up the stairs.

"Be careful, Bonnie!" Clemont yelled, but he wasn't sure if his sister had heard him. She was spirited away to supposed safety, however, so Clemont allowed him to turn his attention back to Tau and the others.

"You're just going to let her go, Tau?" questioned a woman within the trio. Her hair was graying a little, but otherwise reflected streaks of sky blue within it, all the more highlighted by her amethyst eyes that almost looked a shade of cold blue themselves.

"We agreed: no children," Tau said. The woman bowed her head, and Clemont thought she almost looked apologetic in that moment, at least until she turned to face them, her lithe body making it look like she was more than ready for a very physical fight. Bethany stepped forward with a nasty scowl on her lips.

"Theta!" she barked angrily. "What are you doing?"

"Bethany…" the woman said sadly, making Clemont guess that her name was Theta. "I knew we'd meet again, sooner than later."

"This is her?" asked the balding man, Chi. His Doublade was unsheathed, looking more than ready to battle, both of its eyes peering at Christopher.

"Both of you, huh…" Bethany breathed out. "Just how messed up are you two? Theta? Chi? You were the best radio hosts I'd ever heard! You inspired me to travel the world. I remember every single one of your shows, especially the one about the Orange-"

"Please, don't," Theta spoke quietly. "I don't truly wish to fight you. Maybe see how different you are now, but…just don't mention it."

"Then help me understand why you joined Team Neo!" Bethany yelled out. Clemont felt himself getting antsy; they were wasting too much time here. He was worried about Korrina and Bonnie. "You attacked and hurt people! I just want to understand why."

"Beth…" Christopher said, drawing his girlfriend's attention to him. "They're not going to listen. Just look at them."

Clemont had to agree. Each of them had resolute looks. They were on a path that they would refuse to deviate from no matter what it took. It was admirable…if they weren't standing in their way or holding Ash. Tau stepped forward.

"The reason? For the same reason that we do not want to involve children like yourselves: pain," he said simply. Clemont's brow furrowed as he prepared for the fight to break out. He wasn't letting words like that sway him in any way. Bunnelby was tensing up for a fight, too.

"That sounds stupid! 'Pain'? ! Give me a break!" Bethany spat. It was like Clemont could practically hear the disillusionment in her voice; the sound of a beautiful image shattering. That was the obvious sign for a fight to start.

"Bunnelby, use Dig!" Clemont yelled out. It was so unlike him to take the initiative, but in that moment, these two were a barrier between him and the safety of his sister and his…well, he wasn't sure what he'd call Korrina. Bunnelby cried out and dove into the stones. He'd have to apologize for breaking the tower floor later. As he seemed to pull the trigger for battle, so too did Bethany and Christopher, but he focused on his own fight.

"I can't help it, though, if you choose to voluntarily fight," Tau sighed out. Clemont watched the ground, feeling like he could see Bunnelby traveling underneath the ground until he drove up under Skuntank, flinging the Pokémon up into the air. "Use Smokescreen."

Before Skuntank had landed on the ground, its entire body and the surrounding area was covered in smoke. Clemont was just grateful that it wasn't exuding the foul odor it had used on Serena just yesterday. Still, as Bunnelby returned to his side, Clemont could see that Skuntank was far too well hidden from view, and it seemed to be confusing Bunnelby quite extensively.

"Don't worry about seeing it," Clemont assured his partner. "Listen for it, okay?"

"Bunby!" Bunnelby cried out, closing his eyes. Clemont watched his ears twitch, no doubt filtering out the sounds of the other battles in the vicinity. With the din of the surrounding battles, Clemont knew it was likely difficult, but if anyone could find Skuntank's location or hear an attack coming, it would be Bunnelby (well, Ash's Noivern probably could, too, but he wasn't here). Bunnelby's ears suddenly pointed up as a dark wave came crashing along the ground. Clemont didn't even need to give the order for Bunnelby to dive into the ground, making the Snarl attack just wash over it harmlessly.

"Bunnelby? Did you find it?"

"Bun!" Bunnelby's voice echoed through the holes, making his trainer unsure of the Pokémon's location. Nevertheless, he figured that Bunnelby had found their target.

"Then use Wild Charge!" Clemont shifted his eyes after giving his command, watching Tau, who was somewhat removed from the billowing Smokescreen. The mysterious leader of Alpha Squad wasn't giving a single command, but his eyes appeared to be watching the holes as a powerful burst of electricity poured out of one of them. Bunnelby rocketed forward with the powerful electric haze surrounding his body. Clemont presumed that he had slammed into Skuntank given the cry and the fact that the smoke was now dissipating. As the recoil took over, Bunnelby dove back into a hole.

"Skuntank, Acid Spray into the holes," Tau stated calmly, moving to the side a little bit so that he was facing Clemont directly. Realizing what the deadly Team Neo member was about to do, Clemont yelled out.

"Get out, Bunnelby, right now!" His command came just a second too late. Skuntank fired the stream of orange globs straight into the holes in an extremely efficient manner. Once they were thrown down, they seemed to explode inside, causing Bunnelby to fly up in pain, though he was still able to use his ears to balance himself in midair. "Good! Now spin and use Double Slap!"

"Bunnel!" Bunnelby cried out with a fierce expression. With a whipping of his ears, Bunnelby began to spin and head towards Skuntank as if he were a drill until his ears separated and made him almost look like a fan rotor. Clemont grinned just a little, despite it not being the situation for it. Their strategy was working. After seeing Ash pull out the Counter Shield move in the tournament, Clemont had quickly come up with a way of emulating it through Bunnelby, and now the move training was paying off. Skuntank appeared to brace itself with its hind legs. Seconds later, Bunnelby's glowing ears collided with Skuntank's forelegs and the two locked into place. Neither one was moving an inch at all.

"Looks like this might not move anywhere," Tau commented with a slight tinge of amusement. It was the closest he had gotten to a laugh since their first encounter.

"That's not true," Clemont said, adding a little chuckle to the end of his own statement. "Bunnelby, use Wild Charge!" Just like their rematch with Ash and Pikachu all those months ago in the Lumiose Gym, Bunnelby's body was surrounded in an electric aura and broke the gridlock between the two's attacks. Skuntank's eyes seemed to widen before Bunnelby made contact and sent the Skunk Pokémon sailing backwards. To avoid the recoil, Bunnelby once more dug underneath the ground. Hopefully Skuntank didn't  _also_  know Iron Tail.

Skuntank collided with the ground, rolling around it like a useless lump of fur. Once it was back on its feet, it padded forward, like it was ready for Tau to give it another command. The man seemed slow to do so, however…and it was starting to make Clemont suspicious. This was a major battle, wasn't it? So, why was Tau so slow in attacking him. It was like the man was letting him make the first move. Was it truly that he didn't want to fight them? As he let his vision scan the battlefield, Clemont could have sworn he saw a shadowy figure flit over to the stairs, almost like a ninja running up them.

Realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Christopher," Clemont called out to the boy that was still heavily absorbed in battle, "how's Crawdaunt doing?"

"Pretty good. These guys aren't much of a challenge for us," Christopher stated simply. "Won't go down, though. Why?"

His answer had been more than enough of a confirmation for him. Flitting his eyes back over to Tau and his unflinching expression, Clemont could finally see the true purpose of this battle. "This battle is nothing but a distraction while they get Korrina and Gurkinn's keystones."

"You're kidding? !" Bethany gasped out as Vanilluxe avoided an Air Slash from Mothim. "Then we need to take them out now!"

"Triple Battle," Clemont said, adjusting his glasses on his face. It was time to get serious, and they weren't going to do that by fighting individually. Both of his current companions seemed to understand this, for they nodded. "Bunnelby, time to switch it up. Get under Doublade!"

"Your turn Crawdaunt, use Guillotine on Mothim!" Christopher called out. Clemont looked at the other male and they both nodded. Crawdaunt scuttled along the floor, its claw shining brightly as it slashed at Mothim.

"Quiver Dance!" Theta called out, her long hair whipping behind her as Mothim zipped past, completely avoiding the Guillotine. At the same moment, Bunnelby popped up from underneath Doublade and slammed into the Sword Pokémon, sending it reeling upward.

"Shadow Ball," Tau ordered quietly. Skuntank opened its mouth and fired a large, pulsing Shadow Ball straight for the currently prone Vanilluxe. It was obvious that there was no way that Christopher was going to let that happen.

"Block it with Night Slash."

"Thanks for the opening, Chris. Vanilluxe, Mirror Shot!" As Crawdaunt's claw glowed purple and impacted with the Shadow Ball, it ducked low, just in time for a silvery shot to go blasting over its head and impacting with Skuntank. Seeing that each of them was able to handle whatever they needed to, Clemont returned his attentions to Bunnelby. Doublade was back in action, both swords out of the sheathes and heading for Bunnelby with its blades glowing in a very evident Fury Cutter attack.

"Block it with your ears!" Clemont yelled out. Just as the first sword came down, Bunnelby's ears grew rigid and blocked the blow. Then the second sword came whipping around. Bunnelby hopped upward, letting the first sword go crashing into the floor while his second ear blocked the other attack. Of course, just as he blocked that, the first blade came right back up. Clemont watched with a frown as Bunnelby's ears and Doublade's swords became lost in a whirring clash of colors. He needed to end this quicker than it was right now. Soon enough, Bunnelby's blocks managed to somehow get it above Doublade. "Now, Mud Shot! Let's go!"

"Bunnelby!" Bunnelby cried out, his ears flapping downward as the globules of mud surrounded them before flinging them at Doublade. It recoiled, sending Doublade finally collapsing to the floor.

"Mothim, use Electroweb on that pesky Vanilluxe," Theta called out. With Bunnelby having a moment of safety, Clemont turned his attentions to seeing Mothim send an electrified web at the occupied Vanilluxe that was providing cover for Crawdaunt against Skuntank. That wouldn't do at all.

"Intercept that Electroweb with Wild Charge!" Bunnelby looked tired as he landed, but once his feet touched the floor, his body exploded with the electric blaze and he charged forward just as the Electroweb impacted with his body and diminished within seconds. The electricity faded, though the recoil didn't set in, as Bunnelby skidded across the floor. Of course, he looked like he was on the brink of exhaustion and Clemont knew that the battle couldn't drag on for much longer.

"This isn't working, Clemont," Christopher admitted, which was easily something the inventor had already figured out.

"Their teamwork is top notch," Bethany seemed to admit begrudgingly, her eyes glaring at Theta as the woman ran a hand through her hair. "No surprise if they've been working together since the radio station shut down. Is that how long you've been planning?"

"Not telling," Theta said simply, almost as if she was teasing the turquoise-haired girl.

"It doesn't matter," Clemont observed. "Right now, we need to group them together for a final attack to knock them out."

"Agreed," Christopher said, his stance changing into a seemingly attacking one. Clemont looked over at Bunnelby, who looked a little slumped over but otherwise entirely determined to see the battle through to the end. "Let's do this!"

"Bunnelby, use Mud Shot!" Bunnelby, despite the exhaustion, bounded forward and summoned the globs of dirt near his ears. Then the room was cast in an eerie red glow.

"Good, it would seem we can finally pull out. Smokescreen." Skuntank grunted and once more the smoke puffed out from the Skunk Pokémon's body, obscuring all of them entirely. This time, it did smell, leaving Clemont unable to do much besides cover his nose in the hope that the horrible stench would go away. He heard the sound of Bunnelby's attack impacting powerfully with the ground, but when the stinky Smokescreen faded, Clemont noticed that the mud had exploded on nothing but the floor; Alpha Squad had disappeared.

"Typical…running away as soon as they achieve their objective," Bethany spat. "Is that what you are? ! Huh? Theta? ! Are you just a coward now? !"

"Calm down Beth!" Christopher called out, roughly grabbing his girlfriend and restraining her. She seemed to be having none of it.

"I will  _not_  calm down, Christopher!" she screeched. "They're traitors! Traitors for everything they preached on their radio shows. And that 'Tau' guy? I don't get him at all, either!" Bethany continued to struggle underneath Christopher's hold, her nails digging into her boyfriend's arm. She was truly incensed by this whole thing.

Yet it only made Clemont think of one thing.

"Bonnie…" he breathed. Knowing he would surely regret this later, Clemont began running towards the stairs, his clothes dripping off as he did, and he stopped at the very edge of it. He wasn't letting his sister stand in harm's way.

"Clemont, what're you-?"

"Clemontic Gear, On!" Clemont yelled out, whipping a pair of skates out from his bag and slapping them onto his shoes. "Okay, Rocket Skates 2.0, just get me to Bonnie!"

"Bunby!" Bunnelby cried, leaping onto Clemont's shoulder. Hoping that for once his invention wouldn't blow up, he pressed the red button on the side of the shoes. Almost instantly he felt the bottoms whirring up, vibrating his body from head to toe. It was such a strange sensation…that didn't matter a second later, because he went blasting forward on the stairs, his mouth flying out behind him. "Bunnel bunnel bunnel…"

"H-hang in there…Bunnnnnelbyyyy," Clemont tried to articulate, but found it impossible to do so. He was traveling so much faster than he thought was possible, barely having a chance to steer along the spiral staircase. Not even the actual steps were impeding the progress and smooth gliding of his Rocket Skates 2.0. Before he knew it, he was level with the head of the giant Lucario statue in the Tower and he could see the bright light that indicated the exit to the top area.

"Dedenne, no!" yelled Bonnie's voice. Clemont slipped on his controls just a little, and the alteration sent him slamming into a wall, bruising his side a little. He flipped over and the Rocket Skates suddenly flew off, flying out through the door and making a loud  _thwock!_  noise, indicating that it had impacted with something. Clemont, however, just felt dazed until Bunnelby used his ears to push him up.

"Thanks, Bunnelby…" he groaned out, bringing himself to his feet. Well, at least they had worked enough to bring him to where he wanted to go before breaking down. And his clothes were dry. Clasping his bruised side, Clemont jogged forward a little until he came out onto the balcony where he had first seen Korrina when they arrived.

"Clemont, look out!" said Gym Leader's voice called. Clemont turned in time to see a Yanmega swooping downward with glowing wings. He barely had the time to duck, landing on his butt as the Yanmega went swooping past. Once he was sure the air right above his head was clear, Clemont stood and looked over to see that Korrina was pinned against the wall, along with Lucario, by some kind off glowing restraint tubes, almost similar to the kind Team Rocket often used. Apparently they didn't need any for Gurkinn because he was out cold with a bump on his head.

"Are you all right, Korrina?" Clemont asked, almost forgetting that he had come here for Bonnie. Korrina just nodded with a toothy smile, her helmet making a noise as it moved on her head. Taking that as positive reassurance, Clemont faced the Yanmega that was spiraling around the area. He finally saw Bonnie a few feet ahead, kneeling on the ground before a girl in a mask. From what Serena had said, this must have been Merle. In between the two of them was Squishy, growling menacingly. "Bonnie!"

"Big brother!" Bonnie finally cried out. It was so strange to actually hear Bonnie sounding scared of anything, but when she ran back to him, it was easy to see why. Dedenne was knocked out cold, and his little sister was clutching what looked like the Scroll of Secrets to her chest. "That girl is so mean. She kicked Gurkinn on the head and used her Yanmega to knock out Dedenne."

"They have Grandpa's keystone!" Korrina yelled. In his corner, Gurkinn looked to be stirring a little, but was nowhere near getting up. Knowing he still had another fight on his hand, Clemont pushed Bonnie behind him as Bunnelby hopped over to join Squishy's side.

"I won't ask again," Merle growled out angrily. "Hand over the scroll, and no one has to be hurt."

"You've already hurt, Gurkinn," Clemont snapped back. "I really doubt we can trust you."

"Not asking you to," she grunted. Her head turned upward, and for a moment, Clemont thought she was looking at the airship. Then he saw her nod towards Yanmega who appeared to understand. The Bug type suddenly burst forward and fired a powerful Sonic Boom from its wings that impacted into the ground between Clemont and his Pokémon. He was suddenly flung back, practically on top of Bonnie.

"Bunnelby, use Double Slap!" he yelled out as he was recovering. Bunnelby was watching as Yanmega zoomed back and forth, seemingly getting faster with every passing second. Once it was close enough, Bunnelby struck forward, putting the full force behind his ears to prevent Yanmega from doing any more damage. It worked, and Squishy leapt forward towards Merle. The girl didn't seem to expect it, because Squishy was able to sink his teeth into Merle's arm. The girl recoiled and then kicked at Squishy, slamming it into the wall that Korrina was attached to.

"Stupid mutt," she muttered, waving her hand. Clemont noticed the glint there as she waved it, recognizing it to be Gurkinn's keystone. Clemont balled his fists again; he probably didn't stand a chance, but he needed to get that stone back now. Squishy crumpled against the wall and the green lights left his body, forcing him to roll across the ground in his tiny form. Clemont took the chance to run forward…just as Yanmega let off a Screech that forced him to cover his ears.

The next part was over in seconds as that single Screech turned into a powerful red wave of energy. Despite his cringing, he recognized the move as Bug Buzz and he watched helplessly as Bunnelby was slammed backwards and knocked out against the stone. Their defenses were almost gone, but Clemont certainly wasn't giving up. Instead, he reached for Luxray's pokeball. Then, Merle made her move.

With a guttural growl, and the Screech having now returned, Merle closed the gap and made a roundhouse kick right into Clemont's chest. Certainly not expecting the attack on  _himself_ , nor its level of power, Clemont crumpled in seconds, though was certainly able to retain his consciousness. With that, the girl continued walking past until she reached Bonnie.

"N-No…" Clemont groaned out through gritted teeth. He wasn't going to let this girl hurt his sister. Merle outright ignored him, even as he struggled to get up. She just reached Bonnie and pulled his sister up by her ponytail. Bonnie screamed, and her hands became lax, letting go of the Scroll. Merle, her expression still unseen underneath the mask, reached down and picked it up before letting Bonnie fall.

"Not so hard now, was it?" Clemont finally got to his knees, heaving in breaths with difficulty. He lunged forward suddenly and latched onto the girl's leg. Merle looked down at him and attempted to shake him loose, but Clemont wouldn't be denied. He knew there was no chance of him winning this battle outright, but he wasn't walking away empty handed. As Merle distracted herself with trying to get rid of him, Clemont dug into his jumpsuit pockets and pulled out a small tracker device, slipping it into Merle's own pockets securely. Then he felt a Sonic Boom collide with his back and he felt his body go limp.

His vision began to fade in and out as he felt his body slump on the floor, but he was pretty sure he saw Merle nod and Yanmega take off before a rope descended and the girl disappeared. Coughing a little, Clemont struggled to keep a hold on his consciousness until he felt his head slide onto someone's lap. Then he felt a sharp shock travel through him and he woke up immediately, finding Dedenne's cheeks were sparking as the small Pokémon looked at him apologetically. Bunnelby was nearby, as well, being held tenderly by Bonnie. That could only mean…Clemont's face heated up.

"Are  _you_  all right?" Korrina asked with a bit of a laugh.

"Yeah…" Clemont gasped out, the bruising all over his body making it sound like more of a wheeze. "Just great."

"I'm sorry…" Bonnie said. Clemont finally sat up, removing his head from Korrina's lap to look at his sister. "I let them get the scroll. And they have Gurkinn's keystone, and Ash, and…and…it's all my fault!"

"It's no one's fault, Bonnie," Korrina assured him. "Right, grandpa?"

"Mmm…" Gurkinn breathed out, practically looking like he was ready to hurl. It was like a defeat for all of them, recovering and licking their wounds. It was that moment that Clemont realized the sun was no longer blocked, the airship having moved off. Bonnie was right, they  _had_  lost almost everything they'd come here to protect. Clemont turned to Korrina, who actually looked a little worried, until he noticed something off about her.

"Where's  _your_  keystone, anyway?" Clemont asked, remarking upon the fact that the glove was gone from her hand. Korrina smiled at him and removed her helmet to reveal the glove had been shoved inside.

"Pretty handy, huh? I hid it before I came up here, since I knew they'd resort to dirty tricks."

"Yeah, it is. Just like my tracker!" Clemont said proudly. Korrina's eyes seemed to light up at the mention of Clemont's invention. "I figured that she'd be returning to their airship, and that's probably where Ash is."

"So…our trip wasn't a waste then?" Bonnie asked hopefully, obviously still beating herself up. Clemont just smiled at her to cheer her up.

"Of course not! Now we just need to find and get to that airship and get Ash back," he said proudly.

"Wow! You're so smart, Clemont!" Korrina expressed, jumping up and down with the same kind of enthusiasm that she usually did before hugging him a little. "See, grandpa? We can get your keystone back after all!"

"Yes…" Gurkinn coughed out, still recovering from his bump on the head. Korrina's Lucario was helping him up with a nod. "But…we have more pressing issues at hand."

"What do you mean?" called Christopher's voice from the doorway. He had clearly calmed Bethany down, as the both of them were standing there, having ascended the stairs without a single need for a breath. Clemont envied them.

"They stole the Scroll of Secrets," Gurkinn coughed out a little. Korrina put her hands on her hips and looked curiously at her grandfather.

"So? That's just all those weird things that are mostly common sense to begin with," she said. Clemont didn't quite get it either; those kinds of rules were hardly worth worrying over. Gurkinn didn't say anything for a moment, causing an air of worry to settle over the group.

"That's just stuff  _I_  wrote there, to put people off if they ever tried to steal it like those ruffians, Team Rocket, did," he explained to them. "But the scroll has been passed down the family for generations. My own grandfather believed it was from even the Kalos War itself, three thousand years ago. We swore to keep it safe because there was supposedly some sort of invisible message on the scroll."

"What kind of invisible message?" Bonnie asked innocently.

Gurkinn looked up, an extremely distressed look on his face, before he answered. "It's just a rumor, but the information there supposedly provides information on a ritual involving keystones, a form of Mega Evolution energy…and the end of the world as we know it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Shocking, right? The end of the world may be nigh? I know, not the best of plot twists, but, ahem, if you'll permit me, it's all in the wording. Now Korrina has joined the cast, essentially. I hope you enjoyed her appearance and that I portrayed her right. We've also fully revealed Theta's appearance, and thus identity (which was kind of already known). What are their motives? Well, my lips are very much sealed. Next chapter, however, will be a big revelatory moment, though I won't say what. I hope you enjoyed the battles this chapter as well as the pacing.
> 
> It makes me really happy to see a sequel of mine so well received, when so many before haven't. I hope as we continue on that you will all still Review and Dare to Be Silly.


	8. A Leader

Chapter 8

A Leader

"Use Ice Shard!" Serena could practically feel the frigid intensity that was radiating off of Wulfric as he gave his command to Abomasnow. Even when he had fought against Ash and the excitement he had shown, not once had his face let off this same air of intensity. It didn't stop Travis from viciously scowling at him though. The honey-blonde Performer stepped back a little, not wanting to get in the way of the furious Gym Leader and the small hail that was starting to fall from Abomasnow's Snow Warning being activated. Abomasnow opened his mouth, and with a practical gust, blew out the streaming Ice Shard, blue streaks following behind the attack.

"Use Shadow Ball. Get rid of them, already," Travis spat. It looked almost painful for him to talk with his burn; maybe that was why he was scowling. Mismagius danced through the air, firing off Shadow Ball after Shadow Ball towards the incoming ice. One managed to stray past the ring of Shadow Balls, but Mismagius managed to twirl in midair. Serena watched it and noticed that the ice almost nicked its side. The poor Pokémon was slowing down already…and if Serena's memory of Travis was still intact (which it was) that would not bode well for Mismagius. The rest of the Shadow Balls impacted powerfully with Ice Shard, creating a glittering dust that mixed in with the hail after the resulting explosion.

Serena frowned. She couldn't let herself get worried now. If Travis abandoned Mismagius, then she'd make sure he at least didn't harm the poor Ghost type. Right now, though, she needed to focus on dispelling the illusion completely and protecting Wulfric's keystone. Before she could give any orders to her Pokémon, she saw Greninja and Pikachu dashing forward. Shaking her head a little, she had to remind herself of how free these two were. Ash wasn't here, and they wanted to win. Greninja leapt up into the air, its leg glowing white with an Aerial Ace attack that kicked upward and managed to slam into Mismagius. Almost simultaneously, Pikachu leapt over Greninja's head and slammed down onto Mismagius with an Iron Tail. The Magical Pokémon went careening elsewhere, only to make contact with Greninja's flying Water Shuriken.

The teamwork between Ash's Pokémon was flawless.

"We can't let them do all the work, right guys?" Serena asked of her two team members. Braixen nodded, gripping her wand tighter, while Pancham adjusted his sunglasses. "Great, then let's surround Mismagius with Stone Edge!"

"Pan Pancham!" Pancham cried out, flipping forward to get close to Mismagius quickly. Their opponent finally seemed to right itself in coming to its senses, facing straight towards Serena. It began to fade from view, likely to use Phantom Force. Before it could, another Water Shuriken struck it, preventing it from doing so. At this same moment, Pancham finally reached Mismagius and slammed his hands down. The stones he produced were larger than any Serena remembered seeing, jutting up towards the sky and creating a practical tomb for the Ghost type.

"Now, Braixen, use Fire Spin!" Braixen didn't move from her spot near Serena, but she did point her wand straight at where Mismagius was battering around within the stones. Nearby, Serena could see the rest of the destructive illusion fading. Mismagius was truly near its end of the battle. A twisting column of fire exploded outward from underneath Mismagius, destroying the stones and engulfing the Ghost type in flames. Within those flames, Serena saw Pikachu jump upward onto the last remaining stone.

"Pika…chuuuuuuuu!" Pikachu cried loudly, a searing Thunderbolt flashing into the flames and engulfing Mismagius. Seconds later, the smoke from both attacks was all that was left, and even that began to fade. Mismagius drooped and fell to the ground. Serena allowed a smile to briefly stretch her face, and her attention turned to Rocky, who looked to be very slowly recovering from the assault on his face. Glad he was okay, she turned to Travis. Serena was surprised to see he wasn't scowling, but had reattached a smirk to his face that made his burns look even more twisted.

Serena's brow creased, and then she heard it: the roar. Turning her body, she saw a giant Salamence sailing straight for her, his front right claw cloaked in shadow as it looked ready to rip through her. She couldn't move for a moment, seeing just how fast it was blitzing towards her. Braixen moved in front, brandishing her wand like a sword. That didn't stop Salamence at all. Serena opened her mouth to give a command to Braixen.

"Nin!" Greninja suddenly cried out. Like a flash, the Ninja Pokémon had appeared between Braixen and Salamence, the white blade of Cut already drawn. White and black collided, sending sparks through the air as the two attacks clashed powerfully against one another, neither giving an inch. Greninja had truly protected them; this made Serena frown. Had Ash given his Pokémon some kind of instruction like that? To protect her? No, she wasn't useless.

"Pancham, knock Salamence off balance with Stone Edge," Serena said. Pancham nodded and slammed into the ground from his position. The stones traveled out in a line to where Salamence was still clashing with Greninja and sprung out underneath its wing. Salamence was tossed upward, spinning in the air as it tried to regain balance. Greninja finally slumped backwards a little, the exertion of the previous block catching up with it.

"A very nice hit," Wulfric rumbled out, his belly shaking a little. "Abomasnow, use Ice Punch!"

"Aboma!" Abomasnow cried and he began to run forward, his very footsteps shaking the ground as his fist glowed with a chilled, blue hue. Salamence was still spinning as the attack collided with its stomach. Serena could see ice crystals on its body now, and Salamence was flinching in pain.

"Flamethrower! Burn that old fool's Pokémon!" Salamence gave a great roar and from its gaping maw jetted powerful flames that consumed the Ice type. That seemed to be enough to get Salamence flying again, because it took to the air. Serena hated the way Travis was acting in this battle, especially once she saw another flame burst through Abomasnow's body. "Ha ha! Looks like your Abomasnow is burned, you pathetic old man! Just give up now."

"Give up?" Wulfric said. He gave a chuckle as he looked his faithful Pokémon straight in the eye. "Just when the battle is…you know? Getting heated up? What a ridiculous thought. Energy Ball!"

Abomasnow, heaving a little from the burn inflicted on it, held his hands up and formed a great green orb near its mouth before firing out toward Salamence. Serena looked down to her own Pokémon, not saying anything, but giving an order all the same. Braixen held her wand out, using Hidden Power to send the silvery spheres of light at the Energy Ball. Pancham also sent his Dark Pulse to join with the attack. The three mixed together in a swirling combination of green, black and silver that struck on the frozen part of Salamence's chest. The Dragon Pokémon cried out in pain.

"Enough of this," Travis snapped. His face was once more in a snarl and he was starting to run…right at her. Serena held her fists up; she didn't know exactly how to fight, but she wasn't going to let Travis do whatever he was doing. "Ketchum's not here, so I'll take whatever frustrations I have with him out on you."

"No, you won't," Serena said firmly. "I won't let you hurt Ash in any way. Either through me or directly."

"Like you could stop-urgh!" Serena kept her stance, but had barely seen the attack flit across Travis. All she knew was that both Greninja and Pikachu had rushed past Travis, each of them pulling out an attack. Now the boy was clutching his stomach, and from the pain distorting his face, his scars looked perpetually worse.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu cried out, his own face looking livid.

"Tch…even with him not around…you're still an annoying rat…" Travis groaned out, still clutching at his stomach. "Change of plans, Salamence. Torch the town until there's nothing left! And Medicham, stop sitting around like the useless thing you are!"

The Medicham didn't respond, almost like it didn't hear Travis at all, but Salamence certainly did as it started flying towards a row of houses. Serena's eyes widened. It was one thing to attack them, but to involve innocent civilians…It was very clear that Wulfric felt the same way.

"You would hurt my beloved Snowbelle?" he roared out, his frigid fury increasing even more from where it had been at the start of the battle. "Such cowardice! Such…I have no words, but you will not break my Snowbelle. In fact…you know? You won't even break my ice!" With that, Wulfric grabbed his pendant and popped it open to reveal the keystone inside. It was the exact thing that Travis had come there for, and judging from the smile on his face, he knew it. "You're talking about beating Ash Ketchum; I'm sure you would have…you know? Lost to him even the way he was during our first match. Abomasnow! Mega Evolve!"

"Boma!" Abomasnow cried. Everything seemed to move in slow motion at that moment. Bright light surrounded Abomasnow as it began to transform. Salamence opened its mouth to torch the nearby house. Travis began to run at Wulfric, evidently to obtain his keystone. Greninja was throwing a Water Shuriken. Then time moved again and Serena saw Pikachu dash over to Mega Abomasnow.

"You want to help protect my city?" Wulfric asked. Pikachu nodded in determination. "Then throw him up there!"

"Aboma!" Wulfric's Pokémon cried, rearing back to grab Pikachu and toss him at Salamence with immense strength. Salamence's Flamethrower gushed out, but seemed to be stopped cold only a second later by the Water Shuriken making contact with its jaw. Right after that, Pikachu landed on Salamence's back, an Electro Ball charging at his tail that he then slammed into their opponent. Travis was almost upon Wulfric.

"Your keystone is mine!"

"Use Ice Punch!" Travis could only blink at Wulfric's command. For the second time in her life, Serena was physically recoiling from a show of power that wasn't even aimed at her. For the second time, she was witnessing the true power of Wulfric's Mega Abomasnow. With that singular frozen fist impacting the ground of Snowbelle, ice consumed Travis' body and began to hold him in place. When it finished encasing him, Serena could still see him blinking inside. "Attacking other trainers is distasteful, but at least…you know? You won't cause trouble for now."

Serena wasn't entirely sure, but the sounds of the battle taking place above her drew her attention away from Travis. Pikachu was rolling around, trying to maintain balance on a writhing Salamence. Of course, the whole reason for Salamence writhing around so much was its combat with Greninja, whose glowing limbs were making continuous clashes with Salamence's glowing wings. It was a clear Aerial Ace battle.

The sound of cracking ice now drew Serena's attention. Even Wulfric was surprised at the speed, but Medicham had somehow gotten over to Travis and was pummeling the ice apart with amazing speed. All too soon, before Wulfric could even issue a command, the ice shattered and fell away from Travis, leaving him gasping on the ground. "Next time, get involved  _before_  this happens!"

"Medi…" Medicham said, but Serena wasn't entirely sure just what kind of comment it was in the first place. Not that Travis was in a position to say much more himself, still gasping for air. It was Serena's one and only chance to talk him down. If they could prevent any more useless fighting, it would be for the best.

"Travis," she said, stepping forward just a little. Braixen quickly shielded her, but it didn't prevent her from saying what needed to be said. "You need to stop. Stop all of this. There's no need to hurt anyone."

"What do you know? !" Travis spat as he crawled onto his knees. Serena sighed loudly; she needed to get through to him. There had to be some small light in him somewhere to allow her to do that.

"Not much," she admitted, "but I know that Team Neo is hurting people. They're doing the same thing Zinnia did. Don't you remember? That's wrong. I know you fought against us, but…"

"Ha ha…you're just a stupid, naïve girl that's Ketchum's little doll, aren't you?" Serena flushed angrily. She was  _not_  just a doll, and she certainly wasn't naïve. "You have no  _concept_  of what it's like in the real world. You prance around on the stage with your Pokémon like it's all fun and games when it's not. Who cares about fun? Winning is what matters. You don't even know what it feels like to lose because there  _are_  no winners or losers for you."

"That's not true!" Serena finally snapped. That seemed to draw Travis' attention to her. "I lost my first Showcase. I lost the Master Class. I lost the first battle of the Kalos Team Tournament, or did you forget? I know what it's like to lose, but I still picked up the pieces and moved on. You're not doing any of that!"

"And why should I? I'm going to make it that I never even lost in the first place!" Serena recoiled at that, unsure of what he meant or how she should respond. "Salamence, use Dragon Claw on the stupid girl. Let's make Ketchum feel some loss!"

"Braixen, get ready to intercept!" Serena yelled, trying to clear her mind of distraction. In the air, Salamence whirled around throwing Pikachu off him finally and distracting Greninja, who ran to rescue Pikachu. Then he shot forward at mach speed, his claws glowing green.

"Abomasnow, Ice Shard!" Abomasnow opened its mouth and fired the numerous frozen projectiles at Salamence as it shot straight for her. Some of them were avoided at the speed Salamence was traveling, while others impacted but seemed to hardly do a thing.

"Braixen, use Fire Blast," Serena said with determination. Just before Salamence was to make contact, Braixen issued the gushing torrent of flame. Hers wasn't the only attack to make contact, either. A blast of moonlight shot from another direction, along with a purple crescent shape of energy. All three attacks converged on Salamence, causing it to finally cease its assault and get knocked off course. Wulfric didn't even follow that up with an order; Abomasnow's own arm extended with flexibility to slam Salamence into the ground with a Wood Hammer. When the dust cleared, Serena could see both Diantha and Astrid had arrived with their Pokémon, the Champion leaning on Astrid for support.

"Gah…this whole thing is going from bad to worse. Medicham, take care of the Champion!" Travis yelled out. Medicham, like the last time Travis had yelled at it, made no movement. "Ugh…you're such a pain without Dalton around…"

"Hammer Arm!" There was another great roar, this time from Rhyperior as it reared back and slammed its arm down towards Travis. The red-haired member of Team Neo barely rolled out of the way as the Hammer Arm broke the surface of the ground. Serena looked over to Rocky, who was now standing, with wide eyes. "I'm not letting him hurt anyone else…not another person…or another Pokémon…"

"Tch, since when did you become such a valiant knight, Rocky?" Travis said with venom. He finally drew himself back to his full height and Serena could see his eyes scanning the area, as if looking for an escape route. "You've become pathetic. But if you want to play hero, let's see how many you can protect!"

With his last word, Travis chucked a small device towards Pikachu and Greninja, who were still rather distracted. The device grew larger as it traveled through the air, glowing with an orange light. Braixen called out, presumably for the pair of them, and Serena began to run forward just as the device got close. From the corner of her eye, she saw Diantha nod sadly. Suddenly, Gardevoir disappeared, appearing before the duo. Then the device exploded. The remaining trainers and their Pokémon took cover as the explosion consumed the area within a contained radius. Once it finished seconds later, Serena finally chanced looking up. She instantly saw Travis atop his Salamence.

"Let's get out of here," he said to the dragon. Salamence appeared to grunt. "Just leave the useless thing. We're outnumbered, and I don't plan on taking on the Champion; Mismagius was supposed to keep the illusion on her but failed. Medicham, we're out of here. I'm sure the other plan succeeded. Now, let's go. Max speed."

Medicham nodded, floating upward to Travis' side. With a final, scowling look down, Travis kicked on Salamence's side and both of them took off into the sky before anyone else could recover to launch an attack. A bright light to the side signaled the conclusion of Abomasnow's Mega Evolution. However, Serena realized that was the least of their problems and she ran forward to where Gardevoir was lying on the ground, Diantha kneeling over her. Wulfric was right alongside her.

"Abomasnow, grab her. She needs immediate treatment," Wulfric said. Abomasnow crashed over and grabbed the Embrace Pokémon tenderly, like he was afraid of breaking her.

"Thank you, Wulfric," Diantha said. She herself stood, aided by Astrid. "I know it was foolish, but I figured that Gardevoir would have the best…urgh, chance of containing the explosion."

"Please, Champion, don't strain yourself," Astrid said. She looked up at Serena with an almost exasperated look. "You were injured just yesterday."

"I'm fine. We need to get to the Pokémon Center." No one chose to argue with the Champion. As a result, the pair of Diantha and Astrid followed after Wulfric and his Abomasnow. Serena, for her part, quickly ran over to Rocky's side and caught him before he passed out, the blood still dripping down his face. He did recall Rhyperior, however.

"Are you all right?" she asked, keeping his arm slung around her shoulder as they trudged forward. Moving through the area, Serena noticed that the small area had been quite damaged, though nothing that wasn't fixable.

"Just a little banged up," Rocky grunted out. "Sure wish I could've messed up Travis' face if it wasn't messed up enough already."

"Hmmm…" Serena hummed out. Travis' face certainly had been a mess, just like the rest of him. Everything from his attitude to his philosophy was unchanged, and that wasn't a good thing. What scared her the most, though, was him saying that he was going to make it so that he never lost. Serena shared this thought with Rocky.

"Just forget him. He was babbling about nonsense like the twisted individual he is," he spat (thankfully not at her). "Maybe at some point he could have been saved, but now that he's with Team Neo, there's absolutely no way."

 _Still_ , Serena thought as she looked at the serene Snowbelle sky,  _his words may mean something worse than we could imagine._

* * *

"What are you doing?" Seamus' voice pulled Ash away from the window he was looking out from inside his cell. They had left Shalour City a while ago. At least, he thought they had, since the Tower of Mastery was no longer visible. They also seemed to be moving faster…maybe. Ash was never one to be able to measure speed, and certainly not on airships. Either way, he left the window and returned to his cozy little cell bars. He really wanted out of here.

"Just wondering where we're going," he answered the blond. Seamus scoffed.

"Why bother? We're either hostages to be used as bargaining chips or they have some other nefarious purpose for us," he expressed distastefully. Ash didn't like it; his tone sounded like he was giving up, and that was something that Ash could never abide.

"Because I don't want to be stuck in this jail cell forever," Ash said simply. "First chance we get, I'm out of here!"

"We're on an airship. You realize that, right? Escaping isn't exactly easy." He couldn't see Seamus' face, but he was getting  _very_  annoyed with the blond's tone. "Even if we get away from our captors, we'd probably fall to our deaths."

"Hey, what's going on with you?" Ash finally asked. He couldn't take it anymore. Listening to someone drone on so depressively was not good for anyone's mental attitude. Seamus didn't answer at first, but when he did, his comment was just as depressing as all the other ones.

"Nothing," he said simply. "I just don't think there's any point in giving us false hope."

"It's not false hope!" Ash snapped. "We  _will_ get out of here. We  _have_ to get out of here!" He didn't mention that he needed to get out of there to make sure that his friends, Pokémon, and especially Serena, were okay. Seamus didn't say anything again, though. Ash wracked his brain, trying to find the right thing to say, but before he could decide, the doors that led to the cell corridor whooshed open. Ash stood immediately at the sight of the still masked Merle walking in. She looked a little roughed up, some nasty bite marks on her wrist.

"It's time. Dalton wants to see the both of you," she said, her voice growling a little. It seemed almost feral, angry. But Ash didn't say anything. He just observed her, his hands on the bars. "Step back."

Ash did as he was ordered, not wanting to incense this clearly angry girl any further. Once he had, the bars on the door began to automatically retract, the cell doors opening. For a moment, Ash wondered if he should have made a break for it right then and there, but from the very frustrated way that Merle was now bandaging her hand, he decided that doing so would probably just increase his chances of getting killed for no reward. Seamus' own cell must have opened, too, because his voice seemed a little clearer.

"Why now? What happened?" he asked. Merle didn't answer, but she did step forward with a small box that she held out to Ash.

"Put them on," she instructed. Ash wasn't about to refute her, so he held out his hands. The box glowed blue and bands of energy wrapped themselves around his wrists like a pair of handcuffs. Clearly this was a very common thing in the criminal underworld. With that done, Merle stepped aside and let him exit his jail cell. Seamus stepped out of his at the same time and Ash shared a look with the boy. He held a small smirk on his face, but Ash really wasn't able to interpret what it meant. "We wouldn't want you to cause trouble here."

"Of course not," Seamus scoffed out again. Merle barely even spared him a glance, but she did nod to the other man in the room. Said guard nodded back and then prodded Seamus in the back to move him forward. Not wanting to be prodded along with him, Ash followed straight after, right through the door the duo had come through.

That door led into another hallway, practically white but for the glass cases in it and a door with a black handle. It was a short hallway, too, which struck Ash as odd. The airship looked so large from the outside, yet these hallways seemed to only take up, maybe, a small space of it. Not that he was an engineer or an inventor like Clemont was, so he probably didn't know what he was talking about. He did know the ship had been large enough to blot out the sun back in Nova Town, though. He continued along with Seamus by his side, looking like he wasn't happy to be there. Neither was Ash, but his own attention was distracted by one of the glass cases holding three pokeballs. Pokeballs that he recognized.

"My Pokémon!" Ash yelled. He lunged for the case but found himself pulled back suddenly by Merle. He struggled against her for a moment longer until she kicked him to make him go forward. Glancing back at the forlorn case with a rather frustrated expression, he chose to move forward so as to not be kicked again.  _I'll be back for you guys, I promise_.

The group of four continued along the hallway, and as Ash drew close to the door that was there, he saw the big words in red that indicated it was a maintenance shaft to the top of the airship. Filing that away as a potential escape route (which was thankfully close to his Pokémon) Ash continued with the others as they wound their way through a series of hallways until they came to a very large white door that opened once the male guard with them punched in some kind of key code. As he did so, Ash tried to remind himself of the route they had taken so that he could get back to his Pokémon as quickly as possible. The doors in front of them slid open loudly and Merle finally led them all inside.

The first thing Ash noticed was that he was practically assaulted with sound. After being locked up in a jail cell with nothing but his thoughts, Seamus being grouchy, and a small porthole window for the better part of…however long he was there, hearing all sorts of noises was rather jarring. More than that, there was also a bright blue screen in front of him. Or maybe it was the sky? Ash wasn't entirely sure, but he did realize this was the bridge of the airship, having remembered being on Hunter J's ship back in Sinnoh. It was eerily similar, now that he thought about it.

There were a lot of people around too, all dressed in the same black jumpsuits as the ones that had raided the town. A number of them were moving about like they had some task to complete while others were just sitting around. Ash even saw one guy spinning in a chair until the man Ash had seen in Nova Town, Tau, put a hand on him to stop him. That's when he also noticed the balding man from the radio station huddled over what looked like a table, a large scroll rolled out on it with numerous chemicals or something nearby. Next to him was another man, his back turned to the captives, but at the sound of the door closing, he faced them.

"Seamus…" the man said, and Ash easily recognized the voice. It was the same man who had spoken over the TV: Dalton. Now that he was in the light, Ash could notice his features. Dalton looked lean, yet muscular, as though he had honed his body through numerous efforts. He was also a slightly older man, roughly the age one would expect for a father, with crinkled eyes and a worn brow, his nose a little flat in nature. That wasn't to say he looked old and harsh; actually, Ash was surprised to see that there was a soft kindness behind them, accented only by his deep black hair, which was cut short but with rather prominent sideburns. "Look at you…"

"Wait, you know him?" Ash exclaimed, unable to help himself. No one seemed to be listening as Dalton tapped the table where the scroll was sitting. It looked familiar, but Ash was too busy keeping his attentions focused squarely on the leader of Team Neo. Either way, the balding man rolled the scroll up, showing some faded drawings for a moment, and Merle moved away from Ash to lean against a wall.

"You've grown," Dalton finally breathed out as he approached the two of them, hands behind his back. When he was a few feet away, he stopped. "I saw you in the Kalos Team Tournament. You had a strong showing."

"I was weak," Seamus spat. Dalton didn't look taken aback in the slightest by the outburst.

"No. You followed your path," he corrected. Ash continued to watch the man, not saying anything. He was finding it  _very_  difficult to not say anything.

"I followed yours, Dalton," replied the blond. "It got me nowhere."

"Okay. I'm confused," Ash finally said, unable to hold it in any longer. Dalton turned to look at Ash, and he surprisingly smiled. He stepped forward again and held out a hand.

"Ash Ketchum, an honor to meet you." That statement was enough to floor Ash. Why on earth would this man want to meet him? Either way, there was no way he wanted to, or was capable of, shaking his hand. Ash indicated this by holding his hands up to reveal them cuffed. Dalton chuckled in response. "I've heard so much about you."

"You have?" Ash asked. All of this was getting way too confusing for him. His face must have shown this exact reaction, because the smile on Dalton's face dropped, and he began to look rather concerned.

"Seamus didn't tell you?" Dalton said. His gaze once more shifted over to the other boy. So did Ash's eyes, and he noticed that Seamus was looking away.

"It slipped my mind," Seamus finally answered, but even Ash could hear the lie that was resting on his lips. Dalton shrugged a little and both he and Ash looked towards each other once again.

"I was his teacher," Dalton said with a laugh. Ash blinked, unsure of exactly what he meant by being his "teacher". "Oh, Seamus was such an eager child, same as Travis. They were two of a kind, always wanting to battle, and I was more than willing to teach them."

"Not like I had much of a choice," Seamus finally spoke up a little louder, bringing himself into the conversation. "You were the only battle instructor in town. Every other teacher just taught the basics. If I had any other choice-"

"-you would have still chosen me," Dalton finished. Ash noticed his tone get colder and the lines on his face get sharper.  _This_  was clearly the Dalton that ran Team Neo. "What did you come to me for in the first place? Ah, 'to get stronger', and 'to win everything'. When was that again? After the Silver Conference in Johto? Or was it before then?"

"Shut up, Dalton," Seamus yelled. Ash was flicking his sight between the two males, watching as they practically stared each other down in an icy faceoff. "I'm not that person anymore."

"You'll always be that person." Seamus growled a little at the statement and Ash was still feeling like he was slightly lost in the whole situation. "And that's okay. I taught you it was okay. If you want to reach the place you're aiming for, you need to be ruthless."

"That's not true!" Ash finally snapped out. Dalton ignored him in favor of Seamus.

"I watched you, Seamus, during the Tournament, and you did everything you needed to. When your team member failed to reach their potential and help you in achieving your goal, you were brutal, but honest, with her."

"Is that your reasoning for attacking the League?" Seamus asked. Dalton just offered a little nod. The very thought of it made Ash feel sick to his stomach. "You're sick, Dalton."

"I'm not," the leader of Team Neo answered quietly. "I just realize that to accomplish anything, you need to be willing to walk over things. You decided that was achieved by releasing Pokémon. I've decided to do something different. In the end, our methods are quite the same."

"I'm  _not_  the same as you!" Seamus growled out, though it sounded as though it were more of a strangled cry. "I'm  _not_! I was able to realize my faults. You taught me strength but you never taught me to trust in my Pokémon."

"That was the part of the path you chose," Dalton said with a sigh. It was like he was growing tired of this conversation and the way it was just running in circles. "It doesn't matter. I didn't bring you here to debate the philosophies of my mission or our past together."

"Then why did you?" Ash asked. Finally, Dalton turned in Ash's direction and offered a smile, like he was putting his full attention back on him. "I mean, you're talking about 'being ruthless' so why did you just capture us instead of…you know…"

"I'm ruthless in my methods, but I'm not so low as to kill children," Dalton said. His smile dropped a little, but his jovial mood had returned and seemed to be there to stay. "That is one line I will never cross if I can help it. No, I brought you here to meet you."

"Meet…me?" Now, Ash was  _really_  confused. What could he have ever done to cause this guy to want to meet him? The whole thing was beyond preposterous. "What for?"

"To thank you," was the simple answer. Ash continued to drown in the haze of confusion. "Honestly, I never thought we'd have the chance to meet at all, but when I saw you compete against Seamus and Travis in the Kalos Team Tournament, I was surprised."

"You're not really making any sense." If Ash could have folded his arms at saying this statement, he would have. Dalton wasn't dropping his smile, either, which was putting Ash even more on edge.

"Like I said, I've heard a lot about you. Seamus wouldn't stop talking about you, but once you lost in the Silver Conference, he had something lit under him. It allowed me to help him in a way I couldn't before. Granting that it wasn't long after that when I left with my daughter…" Dalton looked to reminisce a short moment. "But that's beside the point: I watched you in the Tournament and it reminded me of your efforts elsewhere in…resolving things. You got involved in something no child should ever have to be involved in, and you came out stronger. It's impressive."

"I'm not joining you," Ash said, getting a very distinct idea of the direction this conversation was taking.

He was proven wrong when Dalton let off a chuckle. "I wasn't going to ask you to. Anyone who knows Ash Ketchum through anything knows he's not one easily swayed. I just captured you here to get you out of the way. You're too much of a thorn in my side otherwise, and far too pure of an influence on Seamus. I know that from the crisis in Hoenn a few years back and the Ancien Debacle."

"I'm not joining you either  _Master_  Dalton," Seamus spat with venom. "I'm not the person you molded me into."

"For now," Dalton agreed. "But let's face it, Seamus, do any of us ever truly let go of the past?" The question seemed to crack Seamus a little, because for a moment, Ash could swear he saw Seamus' eyes grow darker and his body shut down.

"Father, Travis is back," Merle spoke. Ash swallowed.  _Father_?  _Travis_? This whole thing was starting to go from bad to worse every second. This wasn't how he expected any of this to go. Not that he had the time to think about it, judging from the loud and wrathful sounds from outside the door. Sure enough, those doors slammed open, accompanied by an even louder slamming of feet as the livid redhead entered in. Ash suppressed a gasp at the sight of his burned face, but watched as he slammed his fist angrily against the wall, hitting a panel that made the lights dim for a moment before Tau fixed it.

"That stupid, stupid Gym Leader. That stupid, stupid Champion…that girl!" he was yelling angrily, and with every word, his face looked like it could twist off.

"Travis, stop throwing a temper tantrum," Dalton sighed out once more. Into Ash's view now came a Medicham, looking almost bored with proceedings. At its entrance, Dalton ignored Travis in favor of the Pokémon. "I'm guessing that not everything went according to plan?"

"Cham," the Meditate Pokémon answered, shaking its head.

"Eh, that's all right. We succeeded on our end," Dalton seemed to admit before turning back to Travis. Medicham went to stand by Dalton's side, its eyes closed. "And you need to learn more restraint, Travis. I've told you time and time again to not use Medicham as your personal puppet. Pokémon aren't tools, same as people."

"Shut up, old man! This wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the Champion being there!" Travis roared. Ash was determined to keep his mouth shut at this point, grateful that the redhead hadn't noticed him in the current state he was in. "She was supposed to be dead! Your stupid missile failed at that."

"Grow up, Travis!" Tau suddenly bellowed. Ash watched with surprise as the man with slicked back hair approached Travis and slapped him across the face. "We let you join the team and Delta Squad because you had a driving purpose; a reason. Don't make us doubt our decision by acting like a child whose favorite toy broke."

"That's rich," Seamus finally scoffed out, clearly unable to help himself. Ash couldn't make out whether the blond was surprised at Travis' appearance at all (like him) or if he was just really good at hiding it. "Travis never had a favorite toy. They were just  _tools_."

"Wha…?" Travis turned away from the slap, finally noticing the two of them standing there, handcuffed. His shocked expression quickly turned into a smirk however. He left Tau's side and walked over to Seamus before punching him across the face. "That's for your failure."

"Good to see you, too,  _friend_ ," Seamus spat out. "I see you've fallen in with some pretty nasty company."

"I'm surprised you aren't asking where I've been, Seamus. We were friends for so long." Travis' tone was so simpering, Ash practically gagged at the sight of it.

"We weren't friends," Seamus rebutted. "We used each other."

"True. And now, Dalton's going to use you to reach our own goals. That'll feel like a good dose of karma for turning on your 'friends'."

"That's not going to happen!" Ash yelled out, drawing more than just Travis' eyes to him. The smirk on the redhead's face turned to a sneer as he stood before Ash and looked him in the eyes. "I'm not going to let it happen! Whatever Team Neo is planning, I'll put a stop to it."

"Still the same Ketchum…" Travis sniggered out. "Ran into your girlfriend at Snowbelle. She was pretty annoying for a while."

"What did you do to her? !" Ash roared the second he heard Serena mentioned. He tried to run forward and tackle Travis, but some hands held him back from doing so. "If you touched one hair on her head…"

"Nothing, yet, but I get the feeling that the next time I meet her, I'll have my way. Burn her with a Flamethrower, maybe a few cuts. Hey, then we can be matching and you can feel the same pain I feel every…single…day."

"You brought that on yourself," Ash growled out. "Gary told me what happened. He-" Ash didn't expect the kick. Yet within seconds, Travis had whipped around and slammed into Ash's face with a kick. That dazed him, and he wobbled on his feet.

"Your little girlfriend caused me no end of headaches in Snowbelle, and is part of the reason I failed. But she's not here, and you are. Christmas came early; I'll take my anger at dealing with her, and losing in the Tournament, out on you." Then he punched right across Ash's face. Once more, his head became dizzy, and before he knew it, he had fallen to the floor, his head swimming with images. Voices were speaking, and it sounded like Dalton was scolding Travis, but Ash couldn't be sure. He was sure that no one was bothering to pick him up however.

His vision started to clear a few seconds later and he could see Seamus watching him, though he didn't chance moving. Right now he actually had to think, and not act impulsively. There had to be a way out of here, and not moving would probably give them the chance they needed. Shifting his cuffed hands a little bit underneath himself, he found that the energy bands had grown a little looser, like the box was malfunctioning from the fall.  _Malfunctioning, huh?_ Shifting his eyes just a little, Ash found the control panel on the wall, the very one that Travis had slammed onto and nearly caused a blackout. He just had to wait for his chance.

"…want to cause problems, I won't send you on any more missions."

"I don't have to take orders from you!" Travis snapped. "I don't care if you were my teacher. I don't care if you want things the way you want it. In fact, if you want Seamus so badly, why don't you just choose him over-"

Seamus made his move. He stuck his leg out quickly and tripped Travis. The redhead flipped over and landed on the ground with a rather loud "oof!". That was very clearly the signal. Ash pulled his hands apart with as much strength as he could muster and broke the pair of handcuffs before springing up. Merle was the first to lunge for him, but before she could reach him, Ash slammed his hands all over the control panel. Clemont would probably kill him for smashing such an incredible piece of machinery. It did its job, though, and the entire bridge went dark.

"Let's go!" Ash yelled as chaos descended on the bridge. It was a good thing that hitting the control panel also seemed to open the door. There was a guard in the way, though. Ash just kept running, and summoning what he had learned from his times synching with Greninja, he raised his leg upward and managed to kick the guy in the stomach. "Sorry."

The man didn't reply and Ash skirted around him into the also darkened hall. Seamus was at his side, and the both of them could see other small lights dotting the hallways that indicated exits. Ash rubbed his head for a moment, trying to remember which one to take when Seamus grabbed his sleeve and pointed.

"I think it's that one," he told him. Deciding that Seamus likely had a much better idea of the direction than he did, he followed the suggestion. They weren't alone in turning down that hallway as the sound of pounding footsteps behind them indicated that Team Neo was pursuing them. Seamus took charge and continued to swerve through the different hallways and Ash was starting to get a better bearing on where he was going. Finally, they turned into the hallway that led straight to the jail cells. "Let's get out of here. Good thing Travis gave us such a good distraction."

"Hold on, I need to get my Pokémon. Yours, too." Seamus didn't say anything for a moment, his hand resting on the shaft that led upwards.

"Ash, we don't-"

"I just have to figure out how to break this case." When he walked right in front of where his pokeballs were, however, he knew there was no way he was going to be able to do it. He would need Clemont's genius assistance or some incredibly quick thinking that he just didn't have time for. He was so  _close_! His hands pounded against the glass in frustration, followed by the pounding of more footsteps. "I'll be back…just wait for me, you guys."

"Let's hurry it up!" Seamus yelled and Ash turned away with a grimace. The blond opened the door and crawled inside. Ash was right behind him, taking hold of the ladder and climbing up as quickly as Seamus' pace would allow them to. It didn't take long for them to reach the top and push it open, though the sounds below indicated that the members of Team Neo had caught up with them. It didn't stop Ash from making the final climb to the top of the airship and slamming the opening shut. "The airship's listing…I think…"

"Probably 'cause I jammed on that control panel," Ash admitted, walking as close to the edge of the airship as he deemed safe. Looking over the edge, he could tell that Seamus was right, the back end that they were on was tipping a little low, almost brushing the tops of the trees below. Looking it over with a frown, Ash noted that if they jumped at a certain branch, they could probably make it safely. At the very least, he had made far more dangerous jumps before and come out okay.

"You're not going anywhere. Either of you." That sound was undeniably Merle's voice, and Ash whipped around to see the masked girl stalking forward. Seamus backed up to join Ash at his side, both of them in defensive postures. How had she managed to get up here so fast? Ash could only imagine that the girl had a very quick shortcut up here and had anticipated them to escape this way.

"Yeah? Try and stop us."

She took that as a very clear challenge. With a vicious snarl, she extended her arms out and ran at the pair of them. Ash threw his fists up as Merle ran straight for him. Just as she was about to reach them, Ash stepped forward and took a swing but completely missed. Merle's arms snapped out towards Ash's stomach, striking him. He couldn't help but grin, though; this was nothing compared to the pain he felt whenever he synchronized with Greninja. It made him able to act quickly by grabbing Merle's arms and snapping his elbow upward, right into her face. The force of the action and her head snapping back caused the mask to fly off.

That was clearly a mistake.

Within seconds, Merle kicked out and Ash skidded along the roof as he looked up and finally got his first glimpse at the girl under the mask. She had long black hair and cold blue eyes, staring at the both of them with a hurt expression. But the most to Ash's surprise was the fact that she looked so much like Dalton, her nose flat and her eyes crinkled.

"No…" Seamus' voice called out from behind him. Ash rolled onto his stomach and noticed that Seamus was staring at the girl in shock, his body shaking. He was also taking steps back from that shock. "It…It is you…Merry…"

He took one more step back, obviously not looking where he was going, and Ash opened his mouth to scream. He was a second too late, and Seamus' foot walked off the edge of the airship and sent him tumbling to the forest below.

"SEAMUS!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This chapter…whew…It was a lot to write. From the battle that involved a lot of major parties to the major revelations that came in the back half of the chapter. On that note, I hope you all enjoyed that major battle against Travis. As for travel times in the story…well, let's just suspend our disbelief maybe? I tried to make them work out, but it's difficult. That said, this chapter brought a lot of revelations forth. We have now met Dalton and revealed his connection to Seamus, which will be put in more depth later. We also now known that Merle, or Merry as Seamus calls her, is Dalton's daughter and she has finally had her own face revealed. And what's this about Dalton thanking Ash? Obviously there are a lot of things yet revealed, and the plot's just heating up!
> 
> Every time I post a chapter and then see the little e-mail indicating I got a review I feel just so happy and it encourages me to keep writing. So, until the next chapter, I ask all of you wonderful readers to Review and Dare to Be Silly.


	9. A History

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many people seemed to think that Dalton would be Seamus' father, but I misdirected them: he was Merle's father. I'm kind of almost happy I was able to fool you. And now for a chapter that should elucidate more. Chapter 9 time!

Chapter 9

A History

Ash watched as Seamus' body fell off. He didn't even scream, the shock so evident on his face. All he heard was the fall, and what sounded like an all too ominous  _thud_  of Seamus hitting something on the way down. It was no surprise, given how high up they were and that he had essentially been put into a freefall. Ash knew he had to act without thinking. He ran straight for the edge, only for his leg to be grabbed.

"You need to be kept…out of…the way…" Merle was saying. Ash looked back as she said it and could tell she was barely moving her mouth, her teeth gritting as she spat it out. Ash struggled to break free, but the girl's grip was absolute. He could have screamed inside; what was with all of these very physically capable girls beating him up lately?

"No. You need to get out of mine!" Ash yelled. Mustering the strength in his other leg, he kicked at Merle's arm, causing the girl's grip to slacken. There was no way he was losing now, not after all that physical ninja training he'd put in with Greninja. That would just be an embarrassment. Ash flung himself upward. The move seemed to have surprised Merle, because she didn't react as Ash slammed his head into hers. She finally let go and stumbled backward.

Quickly regaining his balance, Ash ran straight at the edge. Merle was growling behind him, like she wanted to really rip him into two. That was enough incentive to not stop at all. He just kept his legs going, eyes swiveling from side to side as he looked for an appropriate place to jump off. He quickly caught sight of one of the highest branches of a pine tree. It would suck, but…Merle's snarling sounded so close to him and with a final burst he jumped off.

His timing was a little off, unfortunately. The airship was finally righting itself, which meant the back end was no longer pointing towards the forest. That gave too much distance. The back of Ash's feet hit the airship as he jumped off and sent him spiraling. Frantically waving his hands, it seemed like pure luck that his fist enclosed around a branch and left him precariously hanging there as the airship moved off a little further. He would have sighed in relief, but there was still way too much danger at play. For one thing, from where he was, he could see Seamus hanging over another tree's branch below, very clearly unconscious judging from the cut on his head and the position of his body. Then there was the bigger issue of Merle leaping from a crouch towards him.

"Come on…" Ash groaned out. This escape was  _not_  turning out the way he hoped it would. Still, he wasn't about to take chances with Merle hurtling straight towards him. He let go of the branch and dropped to a slightly lower one, his feet landing firmly on it. It was a good thing that it was thick enough to support him. Merle landed on the branch where he had been just moments before and Ash could see her eyes focusing on Seamus.

"Talonflame, I choose…" Ash started to scream, reaching for his belt, when he realized (or rather, remembered) that his faithful Pokémon were no longer there. The whole situation just got a lot more difficult. Now he had to escape from Merle while grabbing Seamus, and all of it without a single Pokémon! Or, that was what he thought, until he peered through the pine needles and noticed a nest of Pineco resting there. It was dangerous, but with Merle practically stalking him, he had no choice.

Taking note of the fact that Seamus was still another level of branches below him on the adjacent tree, Ash allowed himself to slip off the edge of the branch he was on. As he did so, a large chunk of the old branch snapped off, just as planned. His landing wasn't quite as planned, bruising his knee a little, but he was able to at least put some distance between him and the girl. She was currently circling the tree and its branches in an attempt to get down to him. Clasping the broken tree branch a little tighter, Ash wound his arm up.  _All right…time to throw it like a Water Shuriken._

"Rah!" Ash roared as he chucked the branch upward, straight at the Pineco. As soon as the branch was loose, he was running carefully across the edge of the other branch he was standing on. Once he reached the end, he leapt off towards Seamus, just as he heard the loud  _thwock_  that signified the branch hitting…well, it hit something, at least. "All right, come on…"

With a groan, Ash lifted Seamus' heavy body off the branch and slung him as best he could over his shoulder. Then the rumbling above started up. Sparing a very brief glance, he could see the Pineco were in the exact state he'd wanted them in: enraged. Apologizing internally, Ash looked below to the mossy forest floor. No time left for debate. With another grunt, he leapt off the edge with Seamus' body, closing his eyes and hoping the drop wasn't that long, or that there wasn't some rock hidden beneath the moss. He heard a loud shriek above him and figured that Merle had either been caught in the explosion or was blasted away by the concussive force of it. That was it before his butt landed on the surprisingly soft ground. Seamus flopped around a little but was otherwise okay, if still unconscious.

"Now…where to?" Ash mumbled out as he stood, rubbing his bottom a little. He gave a quick turn around the area but noticed nothing of any sort of markings that could guide him towards a single destination. He was lost…and without Serena or a map to guide him. On top of it, Seamus wasn't going to be any help for a while, not with his cut bleeding onto his jacket. It wouldn't stop him from moving forward, though. Making sure Seamus was still secure over his shoulder, Ash began to trudge through the forest, looking for any sign that could get him out of there.

He certainly heard something, but it wasn't welcoming. It was the sound of wings. More particularly, the sound of bug wings. His breath caught for a moment, and without a moment's hesitation, he threw himself behind a low bush in the area and covered his mouth to let no sound escape. The flapping wings grew louder until they were practically overhead. Swallowing as quietly as he could, Ash turned his head up within the bush and saw a Yanmega passing overhead. It wasn't alone, though, as a Mothim was also fluttering by, the two jabbering to each other once they were nearby. Now, Ash considered it a good thing that Seamus was unconscious.

"Yanmega, did you find them?" That was most evidently Merle's voice, and judging by the sound of the footsteps, she was close.

"Yan yan…" the Ogre Darner Pokémon replied. Ash turned a little, conveniently timing it with the approach of more footsteps. Through a small gap in the bush he could see Merle, looking perfectly okay (to his slight displeasure…he had hoped she would have at least been delayed a little more) as she was greeted by another woman with sky blue hair.

"Looks like we may have lost them," the woman replied.

"No, I saw him come this way, Theta," Merle replied. "If he's here, I'll find him."

"Oh, you'll sniff them out, will you?" Theta remarked with a slight chuckle. Merle appeared to snarl at Theta's suggestion, but the woman didn't back down. "Doesn't matter. Chi and Doublade are searching in a radius. We'll find them. Let's check them out that way."

"Fine…" Merle sighed out. To Ash's great relief, she saw the pair of them and their Pokémon moving off. He didn't dare come out of hiding, though, not until they had all but disappeared.

"Okay…" Ash said, finally pulling himself out of the bushes. He finally noticed how covered in pine needles he was from that earlier Pineco explosion. In fact, he was pretty sure he could still hear the Pineco falling from said tree in the distance, as well as…water? Feeling a slight spark of hope, Ash strained his ears and could definitely say that he heard water flowing somewhere nearby. Deciding to follow on that, Ash walked forward, careful of making too much sound. He really hated this sneaking around stuff…but he didn't want to be tossed back in a jail cell either.

The dead leaves and soft grass under his feet crinkled a little as he walked, but there wasn't much he could do about that. The sound of rushing water was drawing close, and soon Ash could see something shimmering, no doubt the source of it. As he broke through the copse of trees, he finally saw it: the rapidly rushing river. If he was able to follow it, it was possible that he could find his way back to a town.

A chittering suddenly filled his ears and Ash turned his head in time to see Mothim floating in front of him. Then it seemed to screech. The raven haired trainer wanted so badly to cover his ears, but he wasn't letting go of Seamus. Then he heard the crashing sounds from the direction Mothim had clearly come from. Merle was on the move again.

"How does she find me so quickly?" Ash asked to no one. Predictably, he got no response. He also decided to not wait around for Merle to find him and haul him back. There was only one thing for it, so Ash threw himself and Seamus into the rushing river.

The second he hit the water's surface he felt himself suddenly pulled along by the intense current. As he did so, his mouth was gasping for air, gulping in some small amounts of water as he sped along. His hands still clutched to Seamus, though it was becoming more difficult by the second as the cold seeped into his skin and was making his hands go numb.  _Man, I wish Greninja was here…_ All that training, and he still couldn't swim like his Water type. The good thing, though, was that he was being carried far away from Merle and the rest of Team Neo to the point that after a few minutes, Ash could no longer see the airship in the sky, and they had likely stopped their pursuit. Knowing this, he finally started angling his body towards a nearby bank and caught onto a pair of tree roots that were dipping in the water.

"Just…hold on…" Ash groaned out as he continued to clasp the roots and pull the both of them up. "Almost…there…"

With one final heave of exhaustion, Ash finally finished pulling them both out and he collapsed on the ground, staring up at the now cloudy sky. He felt exhausted, and wished that he could have just continued to lay there. That changed when a drop of rain fell on his face. As if he wasn't wet enough. Ash stood again and continued dragging Seamus along, looking for a shelter. It didn't take long to find a small cave that he was able to drag him to. Once he was sure that the blond was okay, he quickly dashed outside to gather some firewood to start a fire for them. His years of experience traveling on the road allowed him to start one quickly, filling the cave with warmth.

No longer feeling like he was a popsicle, Ash took his jacket off and ripped off a piece of the sleeve to bandage the cut on Seamus' head. Of course, he didn't really know how, so it looked way weirder than it would have if a professional doctor had done it, but for now, it was good enough. All he could do at this point was wait. Knowing that, Ash leaned against the cave wall, painted by the firelight, and nearly drifted off into sleep while he kept watch.

"Serena…hope you're okay…" he mumbled out, hardly noticing as he was fading in and out of consciousness. Once he snapped back by a pop from the fire, though, he had to quickly remind himself that he had to be worried about Clemont and Bonnie, too. And Pikachu…he really hoped his best friend was okay, wherever he was. Resolving to not fall asleep, Ash righted himself and stared at the fire. He needed to get back to Nova Town, where his friends would likely be. That wasn't even negotiable. If he wanted to do that, though, he needed his Pokémon. Of course, they just happened to be stuck on Team Neo's ship. It wasn't a happy situation.

"Urgh…" Seamus finally groaned out, clearly regaining his own consciousness at last. "Where are we?"

"Some cave…somewhere…" Ash admitted. Seamus groaned again, sitting up to look at the fire. Outside, the pitter patter of rain could still be heard, though it was quieter than before. "You okay?"

"Just a bump on the head," Seamus answered. Ash watched him with a concerned frown.

"That's not what I meant," he told him. Shifting a bit on the ground, Ash faced him squarely. "That girl, you called her Merry, like you knew her. Like you knew her really well."

"Once upon a time…maybe," Seamus answered, but he still looked away like he didn't want to talk about it. "I still don't believe it's her."

"But Dalton…"

"I just don't want to talk about it, okay? !" Seamus snapped, wincing from the pain as he did so. Ash just continued to frown. Why didn't he want to talk about something that could be so important? Why was he pushing people away? The frown dropped, replaced with an open mouthed expression as clarity struck him; was that what  _he_  was doing? To Serena? Had he just pushed her away after everything in Snowbelle instead of talking to her? Especially after they had spoken about sharing things with one another after the Master Class and then he went and…

Ash sighed loudly. "You should tell me."

"Huh?" Seamus said darkly, his head jerking a little as he did so. His expression was cold and distant, but somewhere in there, Ash just saw someone who looked lost, like he was wandering a dark road and had no one to guide him down it. In truth, Ash saw quite a bit of himself after his battle with Wulfric.

"Bottling it up inside, it just hurts everyone," Ash continued, hoping to coax the truth out of Seamus. "I would know. I think I hurt Serena by doing that."

"I genuinely have no idea what you're talking about," Seamus said. Ash wasn't sure if he was angry or just fearful, but he knew that the blond needed to talk about these things before it was too late and it made him explode, or worse. Folding his hands, Ash thought about what he could say.

"Just a little bit ago, I fought Wulfric at the Snowbelle Gym," Ash said, his own voice deeper than usual. Whatever it was, he happened to draw Seamus' full attention. "I was so obsessed with winning and pulling ahead of my friend Sawyer that I was beaten really badly and Greninja got really hurt. I blamed myself and I closed myself in."

"I don't get-"

"I didn't talk to anyone. Not Pikachu. Not Clemont or Bonnie…Not Serena. I was so disappointed with myself that I didn't want to talk. I kept it all in, and when Serena found me, I just snapped. She snapped, too…heh heh…it was the first time we fought, and it was over something so stupid!"

"That hardly sounds stupid," Seamus told him. "Actually, I took my loss in the Kalos Team Tournament pretty hard. Took me some time to be okay with it, no matter how much I pretended."

"But that's my point! Once Serena talked to me, I figured it all out!" Ash exclaimed, pulling himself to his feet and spreading his arms wide. "Talking with her…even if it was mostly getting a snowball to the face, it helped me realize what I was doing wrong. At least, it started to. Of course, now I'm not telling her everything else in my brain, and I think she's upset with me."

"Why would she be?" Seamus asked, leaning back on the palms of his hands. "I thought you guys are in love with each other."

"We are! I am…" Ash admitted, drawing just a little into his thoughts. "I guess…I'm just scared. I've never been in a relationship before, even if apparently some of my friends felt that way towards me. Throw me at a Pokémon battle, that's easy. But a relationship isn't exactly my thing, and I'm scared of it. What if I mess up? What if I say something wrong? What if I, you know, break her heart accidentally or something?"

"Seriously doubt that's going to happen, Ash," Seamus said, rolling his eyes a little in the firelight. "That girl loves you. You can see it every time she looks at you.  _I_  could see it when we were still enemies. You were supposedly the only one oblivious to it."

"What if I lose her…?" Having finally confessed his deepest fear in his relationship with the girl he loved out loud (even if it wasn't to her), he felt a weight lift from his chest. "I don't know if I could handle that, especially if it was because I couldn't protect her. That's why I've been trying so hard to keep her away from battles, and I think she's mad at me for it."

"Then talk to her about it. Tell her how you feel and work it out," Seamus suggested. Ash smiled at that one and sat back down, pointing furiously at Seamus' chest.

"Follow your own advice! Tell me everything." Those words appeared to rattle Seamus heavily and for a very long stretch of silence, he remained staring into the firelight. Outside, the clouds seemed to lighten up as the rain went away. When the calming effect of the weather disappeared, Seamus finally sighed.

"All right, but…it's kind of a long story."

"Well, we can't do much of anything while our clothes dry…" Ash admitted. Seamus responded with a chuckle and nodded, like he was indicating that he was right.

"Hmmm…where do I start?" Seamus began. He was off his palms now, clasping his hands in his lap. "I guess it all starts when I was around six years old. I was born and raised in Nova Town, and that was around the time that dad left because he hated mom being so obsessed with the Gates. She puts up a brave front now, but at the time, she was really sad. And I was really angry for a little, so I wanted to become a Pokémon trainer, all so I could protect my mom. Since I started going to school around then, I eventually learned about the 'really strong battler' in town. I had a feeling that he could teach me how to battle."

"Dalton?" Seamus inclined his head just a little at Ash's guess.

"He was the coolest guy in town, and to me, he was the epitome of a perfect dad in a perfect family," Seamus said, his eyes still shining with the memory. "I remember going over to the big house in the village every day after school to beg him to train me. Finally, one day, he asked me for a battle, but I didn't have any Pokémon at the time. You know what he did? He gave me Tepig, the same one that became Emboar, and had me battle his Medicham. I lost."

"But you were just a kid," Ash pointed out, as if it excused the loss that Seamus had suffered. "There's no way you could have been expected to win without training. Heck, at the start of my journey, I can't even count the number of battles I lost."

"Oh, I know, but it didn't stop me from being sad about it. I thought I had lost my chances of training under the great Dalton. Until, when I was sobbing, following the loss, his daughter came over to me. She said, 'Pokémon trainers don't cry, because then their Pokémon feel sad, too'. I don't know what it was, but she helped me to stop crying, and I vowed to return the next time and win."

"Did you?"

"No. I lost again, but I didn't cry at the loss," Seamus answered him. He threw his head back, like he was looking up at the sky, despite it being covered by a cave ceiling. "I still remember it like it was yesterday. Dalton came up to me, and he said, 'Take that loss and turn it into strength. Take it and make it into a resolve to never lose again. Take the anger you feel and make it into a sword that lays waste to your opponent'. After that, he took me on as his apprentice. I wasn't alone, though."

"Let me guess," Ash said, having a vague idea of where the story was going. "Travis?"

"Yeah," Seamus confirmed. "Travis was already training under Dalton. In the end, we both trained together, and I ended up spending more time there than I did at home. Helped that Dalton had practically built a stadium in his backyard. His wife was a famous heiress around town, made lots of money from some groundbreaking research or something. She and my mom became good friends, so that always helped. In some ways, Dalton felt more like a father than my own ever had."

"And Merle?" Ash felt like they were getting to the real meat of the conversation, and he could see Seamus' eyes light up.

"Yeah, Merry…that's what we always called her because she was so cheerful and happy."

"That's surprising, given the way she acted on the airship."

"She was…different. Back when I knew her, when she was still a kid, she was so vibrant. She trained with us sometimes, and she loved to watch Travis and me battle. Then, one day, Travis had to move away. I don't remember what it was for, but she never saw him again after that. Shortly after the Orange League aired and I remembered watching you win it. I studied that match so much that Dalton said I'd probably be able to easily defeat you one day. At the time, I lapped up the praise, fed off of it and made myself believe it was true. Especially when I saw you lose in the Silver Conference and I felt like my world had just come crashing down around me.

"It was after that that Dalton left town for good. His wife…she had passed away just a few months before the Conference; some kind of sickness, I think. Merry was so upset that sometimes I'd just take her out to the fountain to sit and talk. She'd always make sure to walk away with a smile. Anyway…before he left, Dalton told me to keep striving forward, don't let anyone stand in my way. If they refuse to move, blast them apart with your strength. I clearly took that advice the wrong way…"

"So then…if Travis moved away, how did you two reunite?" Ash asked. He was still watching Seamus as the boy recounted his tale, and it was so odd to see all those emotions playing upon his face.

"Travis came back to town about six months before we all left. I had met Beth and Chris at the time, though we weren't close," Seamus informed him. "Travis challenged me to a battle, and I beat him with Emboar. I think that was the only loss he suffered until you and then Gary, which was why we were so close. I can honestly say, the fact that I was the only one to beat him until then…I think it sent both of us on a spiral. I was drunk on the power of winning, and Travis was afraid of losing. If even the slightest dent to making that happen occurred, we gave it up. No losers allowed, ha ha…"

"And you never saw Merry until today?" Ash asked. Seamus finally separated his hands and ran them through his hair.

"Yes. Neither she nor Dalton ever kept in touch, but, his wife's death must have affected him hard for him to be doing all of this," Seamus said. "Same with Merry. She was such a bright soul. Always kind and loving to everyone…As a kid, I actually thought that maybe one day, she and I would…"

Ash now knew perfectly well what Seamus was trying to say. He had loved her as a child, and had they still been together when they were older, things would have been different. It made Ash wonder how his life would have turned out, his Kalos journey, had he not reunited with Serena. Would he have suffered like Seamus did? Would he have quit? Ash couldn't know the answers, but he could understand the pain. "I get it."

"I'm not trying to make excuses for my actions, you know," Seamus made sure to point out. "I'm still very ashamed of who I became, but that was such a part of me, and seeing those two be what they are now…I start to wonder if I can ever let go of that past."

"But you are. You're moving forward with your Pokémon!" Ash proclaimed. He didn't want to see Seamus doubting himself and turning back, not after he'd come so far on his own. "You're not like them. I don't think you're letting your past control you."

"Maybe you're right, but honestly, until I saw the both of them and their faces today, I never would have guessed that they would be doing any of this," Seamus countered. "Dalton was harsh and ruthless, but he was never a guy that wanted to blow things up and hurt people. And Merry, though I guess that name hardly fits anymore, she was such a bubbly and happy person that to see her trying to do what she did to us…it frightens me."

"Then let's go talk to her!"

"That's insane," he countered before the words were barely out of Ash's mouth. Ash pouted a little. "They're both on an airship, you know, in the sky, with a ton of their little 'Team Neo' members. The chances of us even getting to them are low, much less talking to them without them sucker punching us again."

"Well, yeah, but…" Ash really wanted to get his Pokémon back. Now that they had a possible second reason to go, he needed to convince Seamus of taking the choice and doing it.

A twig snapped outside. Almost like lightning, Ash quickly made it over to the dying flame and stamped it out, drowning the cave in darkness. Now that he had, he could hear another rain shower moving over the forest, and the sound of tromping footsteps. Ash quickly grabbed his now dry jacket and slung it over himself while Seamus stood and drew closer. The footsteps entered into the cave.

"Are you sure dis is da place?" asked a voice in the darkness. "I mean, it's a great shelter from da rain, Jess, but dat doesn't mean dey're here."

"Stop flapping your gums, Meowth. Gourgeist, light this place up!" A brief light popped out, illuminating the cave like a flash bulb for a second. That wasn't enough for Ash to get a very good view, but that hardly mattered later when the lantern lights from Gourgeist provided more light than even the fire had. It certainly was enough to get a look at their intruders.

"Agh! Team Rocket!" he exclaimed, and said team must have jumped almost a mile into the air at the sound of the voice.

"Who?" Seamus asked.

"What? Are you saying this bloke doesn't know what Team Rocket is?" James asked, shaking a fist in the bemused blond's direction.

"Then let's give him the lowdown, ya dig?" Meowth followed up with. Ash had a very distinct feeling that he knew what was coming, but decided to let it play out for Seamus' benefit. It was almost amusing, to say the least.

"Prepare for trouble, who are we you say?"

"Make it double, it's a rainy day!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nations!"

"What is this…?" Seamus whispered to Ash. He just shrugged in response, indicating that he should go along with it. Judging by the amused expression on his face, he did.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"And James!"

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light."

"Surrender now or prepare for a rainy day fight!"

"Meowth, dat's right!"

"Wobbuffet!"

"Are you guys done?" Seamus asked as they finished their poses. Even Ash couldn't help a chuckle at that one.

"Well, that's rather rude," Jessie snapped out, folding her arms with a huff.

"That boy acts like such a boorish brute," James agreed.

"Dat's because he was with dat Team Brute!" Meowth pointed out. Wobbuffet seemed to be wagging up and down, like he was nodding in agreement.

"Tal," Seamus said, as if to completely correct their notion. "Bru- _tal_. If you're going to insult me, at least do it right."

"What are you guys even doing here? I don't have Pikachu, so there's no point in trying to steal him," Ash proclaimed, shaking a fist in their direction. Jessie frowned at him and then sat on the ground, picking at her teeth while Gourgeist continued to illuminate the cave.

"We know you don't, twerp," Jessie finally said after she was done picking through. "We saw the whole thing happen back in town. The twerpette is taking care of him, so you don't need to worry."

"Then…again, why are you here and not there?" Ash asked in suspicion.

"Because we didn't want to mess with da Cha-" Jessie instantly slapped a hand over Meowth's flapping gums and pushed him down.

"I thought we agreed not to speak about that, Meowth!"

"And how!" James concurred. "The point is, we didn't like it when we were just flying by, observing you from our balloon."

"Den dat missile came and knocked us clear outta da sky," Meowth shot back with, his mouth free from Jessie's hand. "Wrecked one of our balloons and everything."

"So, we decided we wanted a bit of revenge, but it turns out we don't have the kind of firepower necessary to blow up their airship like they did to us," Jessie elaborated in passing. Ash continued watching them. Was Team Rocket actually…asking for help? It seemed weird to Ash, and they had certainly worked together before, but this seemed entirely different. "Look, it's not like you're our first choice, twerp, but you're good at taking down other bad guys right."

"Yeah, and we're the good guys for now!"

"But…I don't have any Pokémon to get me in there," Ash told them. The quartet seemed to deflate from this (along with Gourgeist, but it was hard to tell). Seeing them so disappointed, made Ash wonder just how much faith they had put in him and his team. More than that, it reminded him of how important it was to get his friends back. The most important thing, though, was that Team Rocket clearly had a way of getting into the air. That was all he needed in order to think of a plan. "So, you guys want to take down Team Neo."

"Take down, revenge, securing the region for Team Rocket. They're the same thing to us," Jessie said, once more with a wave of her hand.

"So, give us some help. We're people you can trust," James said. It was one of the few times that Ash felt he could actually believe him.

"Dat's a must!"

"Wob-ba!"

"All right, then," Ash confirmed, earning surprised looks from everyone around him. "If you guys can get us into the sky, I have a plan for how we can take down Team Neo from the air. Can I count on you for help?"

"Leave it to Team Rocket!"

* * *

"Are you all right?" called a soft voice next to her ear. Serena's eyes fluttered open. She must have fallen asleep watching the fire in the Snowbelle Pokémon Center, dreaming of something she could no longer remember. Turning her head, the honey-blonde noticed that Astrid was sitting next to her with a soft smile on her face. "You looked upset."

"If I was, I don't remember," Serena answered honestly. "How about you? Is Absol doing okay?"

"Still a little agitated, but I think that's because we didn't get a chance to battle the guy who took our keystone."

"I don't think Travis had them on him, anyway," Serena assured the girl next to him. "He was pretty tough, though, I think…"

"Wouldn't know. He played his Mismagius trickery on me when we fought," Astrid said. To Serena's surprise, Astrid didn't look angry about the whole situation. At worst, she was mildly annoyed at having still not recovered her keystone with the way she was rubbing her ear. It astounded Serena in a way; the girl was very mature about the whole thing. "Still, if I were to have a chance, I'd like to beat him and get my keystone back."

"Get in line," Serena joked. The battle with Travis had still left a bad taste in her mouth. If it hadn't been for Diantha and Gardevoir intervening, Pikachu and Greninja would have been…Serena looked down to her lap to see that Pancham was resting there peacefully. Realizing that, she started to look all over the lobby of the center. Braixen was resting comfortably against the fire and Diantha and Wulfric were both conversing by the door to the emergency room. Rocky was also there, getting his own face patched up by Wigglytuff. There was something missing, though, and judging by the absence of pressure on her shoulder, she had a very good guess of what it was.

"What's wrong?" Astrid inquired, clearly noticing that she was agitated.

"Have you seen Pikachu and Greninja?" Serena asked. Her heart was thumping in worry. Here she was supposed to look after them until they found Ash, and now it seemed that she had lost them.

"No. They were here when I went to the bathroom a little bit ago, but now that you think of it, I haven't seen them since then." Serena stood up, making sure to hold on to Pancham so that he didn't fall. This wasn't good. She had absolutely no idea where they could have gone.

"Braixen," Serena called over to her Pokémon. The Fox Pokémon was startled out of her nap, but stood and looked at her trainer. "Have you seen Pikachu or Greninja?"

"Brai?" Braixen sounded just as surprised as she was. Now near panicking, Serena quickly pulled out Pancham's pokeball and returned him before dashing for the door. Astrid appeared to call after her, but Serena didn't stop, Braixen right behind her the whole way. It was still as frigidly cold as ever outside the Center, but Serena paid little mind to it. Her eyes were scanning the area, hoping to catch sight of Ash's missing Pokémon. Sure, they could take care of themselves, but she didn't know how she could face Ash when they reunited if she had lost them. "Braixen."

"What is it?" Serena asked, her teeth chattering a little in the cold. Looking down and following Braixen's wand, she could see the imprints on the snow. Now that she was closer, she could tell that they were very much little paw prints and webbed prints. There was no denying that they belonged to Pikachu and Greninja. Following them along, she stopped at the edge of the forest. "Do you think they went in there?"

"Brai Braixen," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders. Even with that, Serena could tell that Braixen was worried too, either because two of her very best friends were out in the cold somewhere or because she had failed to stop them from leaving. Serena almost wanted to scream.

"I can't believe I fell asleep and let them leave," she said, tousling her hair with her gloved hand. Kicking at a loose pile of snow, Serena whirled back around and started heading back for the Center, only for another pile of snow to fall on her head from the trees. Braixen immediately used her wand to warm her up. As she did so, Serena looked at the clear sky, the treetops skimming it and she noticed something odd. In some places, the freshly fallen snow on top of the trees was indented.

Brushing the rest of the snow from her hair, Serena ran along, following the indentations until the trees reached rooves on the edge of town, and that was where the webbed footprints once more appeared. Huffing out a little, Serena was finally able to come to a solid conclusion: Greninja and Pikachu had left town, presumably after Travis. That meant there was nothing more she could do for them, unless she hijacked a helicopter without any knowledge of how to fly it. No, she could trust in Ash's Pokémon to likely go and rescue Ash himself.

Feeling a little better, Serena and Braixen made their way back to the Pokémon Center. Nothing much had changed except for Rocky and Diantha getting their pokeballs back from Nurse Joy.

"Rhyperior is just fine. However, Champion, I'd stop yourself from putting too much strain on Gardevoir, if you can. A simple effort is one thing, but too much battling may cause her wounds to cause too much strain," Nurse Joy was telling each of them. Diantha nodded, taking her pokeball back.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," she responded coolly and the pink-haired woman returned to her duties around the Center. That task complete, the Champion turned to Wulfric.

"Where do you plan to head now, Champion?" he asked in a rumbling voice. Diantha didn't answer right away, tapping at her chin in contemplation. "I would join you, but I have a feeling that taking my keystone into that mess might…you know? Not be the best idea."

"I agree," Diantha concurred. "For now, you should focus on keeping Snowbelle and your own keystone safe from harm. Whatever Team Neo is after, we know it revolves around that."

"But why?" Astrid asked. Serena walked a little closer, coming and standing next to the fire. "I mean, sure, keystones don't just drop out of the sky, but they could just find ones that aren't on trainers."

"Maybe it's something about energy," Wulfric grunted out in suggestion. "Maybe they want ones used by trainers because those keystones…you know? Resonate directly with a Mega Stone."

"It's possible…" Diantha mused. "However, we're operating off of incomplete information. If we want to get anything done, we need to figure out why Team Neo wants these keystones. That way, if we can't prevent them from acquiring any more, we'll at least know what their purpose is."

"Ummm…" Serena said, stepping away from the fire to address the Champion, "if that's the case, why don't we head back to Nova Town?"

The others, except for Wulfric, all looked at her in question. She wasn't sure how to explain it, but she knew that maybe Nova Town was the best chance of finding anything out. Of course, Diantha probably thought she just wanted to go there because she hoped Ash would get back there. While she did want that, she wasn't foolish enough to make that her only objective. "It's a suggestion. Why do you think we should?"

"Well, Team Neo attacked Nova Town," Serena explained. "Maybe it was for more than just capturing Ash and Seamus. Maybe they were there for another reason. I mean, they set up some kind of transmission relay in a radio station right outside the town. It makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Makes sense to me," Rocky said. Serena flashed a smile at him, noticing that his face looked quite odd with all the bandages on it. He gave an awkward smile back, like he wasn't used to making one. Diantha continued to survey them, her hand absentmindedly rubbing her neck.

"Yes, perhaps that is for the best…" she said quietly. "It would make sense. Attacking the League so publicly was obviously a no-brainer to put attention on that, but why such a small town? Thank you, Serena."

"N-No problem."

"Great!" Astrid said, pumping her fists a little with a small smile. "Then we head back to Nova Town. We get some answers, go after Team Neo, and get our keystones back!"

No one said anything else, but Diantha sweeping majestically from the Pokémon Center was enough to make it quite obvious what her intention was. Serena looked back at Wulfric, who nodded at her with a light smile. It was almost as if he was telling her to say hi to Ash for him. Serena smiled back and began to walk out after Diantha, with Rocky at her side. As they did, a strange sensation trickled down her spine.

It was almost like they were moving to the next phase of the battle against Team Neo.

More than that, it was almost like she was growing excited to be moving to the next phase, even if it didn't overrun the worry. Looking to the sky as the helicopter that Diantha had called in began to descend, Serena gripped her bag tighter. "Bring him back, Pikachu and Greninja."

* * *

Clemont scrutinized the screen carefully. There was no room for error, not now. Bonnie was sitting in the corner of the room, brushing Dedenne's fur while humming for a bit. Over his shoulder was Korrina, staring in slight amazement at what Clemont was working on. He had no idea she was this interested in his inventions.

"So…you put a tracker on her?" Korrina asked. "How did you do that?"

"Well, I've been working constantly about putting tracking devices into mundane things, the most impressive of which have been my bandages," Clemont explained to her as he continued to try and get a trace on the signal his small device was putting out. "This way, I'm allowed to use my radar to track them wherever."

"Huh…that's pretty cool!" she responded excitedly. "What else can you do with it?"

"Don't ask him, Korrina. He'll just go on for hours…" Bonnie said with a roll of her eyes. Clemont scoffed and chose to ignore his sister.

"But I wanna know about all that sciency stuff if it helps get grandpa's keystone back!" Korrina exclaimed, jumping up and down a little bit. "I could never do the kind of stuff that Clemont does."

"Uh…ha ha…thanks," Clemont stuttered out, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. In truth, being this close to Korrina was effecting his work ethic and his ability to trace the signal. Not that he was telling anyone this. Bonnie would never stop teasing him if he did, and who knew how Korrina would react. He, himself, still didn't believe it was true. Korrina did  _not_  elicit the same kinds of feelings in him that Serena did to Ash. One day he'd use an experiment to prove that…if he could pull his mind together enough in her presence to do it.

"So, tell me! Tell me! How do you make it all work?" Korrina exclaimed, once more turning back to him with shining eyes. Back in her corner, Clemont heard Bonnie back at humming again, this time with Squishy.

"Well, in this case, I've been working on making a tracker small enough to fit in a ball of lint, and that was what I slipped into her pocket. Now it should be sending out a signal, but the problem is that it's moving at a rate I didn't expect. I have the feeling that Team Neo is trying to get to their next destination as quickly as possible." Korrina just sat there and nodded, her chin resting on one of her fists. She seemed interested, but Clemont was almost certain that she had zoned out somewhere between the words "tracker" and "small enough".

"So, you put some lint in her pocket and that will help us find Ash?" she asked. Clemont blinked; she had actually kept up with that? "And Grandpa's keystone should be there, too."

"So where are they heading?" Christopher asked, poking his head in the room. "We're all ready to go. You just have to give us the coordinates."

"I'm trying," Clemont protested, "but without professional grade equipment, I can't find and zone in on the signal as quick as I'd like."

"Don't make excuses, big brother," Bonnie scolded him. "You were able to find them before with nothing but a TV and your own invention. You can do it this time."

"Yeah! If anyone can do this, you can, Clemont!" Korrina said cheerily. Clemont smirked a little, glad that the others were showing such a confidence in his abilities. Chuckling a bit, the inventor turned back to his screen.

"Well, I can't let you down, now, can I? Christopher, Bethany, prepare for departure! I'll be ready in five minutes," Clemont told them all boastfully. Christopher nodded, and he nudged Bethany out of the room. With both Korrina and Bonnie's eyes on him, Clemont cracked his knuckles.  _Never give up until the very end. That's what Ash and Serena always say_ , Clemont reminded himself and he proceeded to have his fingers fly across his keyboard. The signal was constantly moving, but it seemed to have slowed down now, giving him just enough leeway to triangulate the position over a forest between Lumiose and Snowbelle.

Frowning at the information, Clemont drew a map over to him and began drawing circles. Over in her corner, Bonnie appeared to be singing to Squishy again while Korrina watched him with continued interest. It made his face flush a little, but he continued on circling Shalour City and Snowbelle while then tracing the likely route they would be taking given the tracking coordinates. Once he had, he dropped his pencil and stared at the map with an expression that wasn't quite shock, but showed enough surprise.

Team Neo was heading back to Nova Town.

"Do you have the position, Clemont?" Korrina asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. He nearly jumped from the contact, his legs shaking just a little, but he nodded all the same. "Awesome! Then I'll go grab Lucario and get ready."

"Get ready?" Clemont asked, utterly confused by the sudden influx of information he was getting from multiple parties. He was really starting to wish Ash was here; at least he was a natural born leader and didn't get tongue-tied around someone as hyper (or, admittedly, pretty) as Korrina. The thought of it made him grip his pant legs in his chair. He couldn't be thinking like this. Diantha trusted him to lead this group, and even without someone like Ash here, he would do his best to do so. Korrina was finally out of her excitement phase to look at him.

"I'm going with you," she said simply. "Those jerks stole Grandpa's keystone, and I'm making sure to get it and the Scroll of Secrets back. You'll let me come, right?" Clemont wasn't sure how he should answer the earnest desire, but Korrina's eyes were just like how she generally was: a hurricane that never ceased to pull him in.

"Yeah, of course. You'll be a great help in freeing Ash," Clemont answered with conviction. Korrina seemed really pleased with his response, because she jumped up and down a few times before hugging him a moment and dashing on the room. Sometimes that girl was too much for him…but he couldn't deny that his heart was beating a little faster. It was almost starting to look like he didn't need that experiment, after all, and that scared him.

"What's wrong with you, Clemont?" Bonnie asked sharply, glaring at him in suspicion. Clemont just cleared his throat a little.

"Absolutely nothing!" he said confidently, though he did notice his voice going an octave higher. Bonnie continued to glare at him a moment longer before shrugging.

"Okay! Let's go save Ash!"

"Yeah!" With that, Clemont grabbed his equipment and carried it in his arms as he followed Bonnie out of the door and down the spiraling stairs to the Tower of Mastery. As he did so, he took out his small communication device and called for the helicopter. At the bottom of the stairs, near the Lucario statue, were Bethany and Christopher, each looking ready for a fight. At that sight, Clemont grabbed Bonnie and pulled her to a halt. "This time, Bonnie, I need you to stay as far away from the battle as possible until I tell you, okay?"

"But Clemont…it's Ash…" she said with a saddened pout.

"I know that, but we're going up against the whole of Team Neo. I don't want to have to worry about them taking  _you_  hostage, okay?" he implored her, trying to help his sister see the reasoning for his heartfelt request. Bethany stepped forward at this moment, crouching a little to put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll stick together with you, okay? Leave the battling to the others. My Pokémon have some skills if we need to get out of a tight spot," the turquoise haired girl imparted to Bonnie. After a moment, Bonnie finally nodded in acceptance of the terms. With that, Bethany faced Clemont. "We'll find a safe place to hide out and still do some damage while you handle all the heavy lifting."

"Sounds great to me!" Korrina cheered out, grinding down the stairs on her roller skates before landing perfectly. Gurkinn appeared to be trailing along behind her, actually walking down the stairs. "I'm in on the strike team. Lucario and I are ready to kick some butt!"

"Ru!" Lucario acknowledged, both he and Korrina punching forward in tandem. It somehow reminded Clemont of Ash and Greninja.

"Less talking," Christopher finally said, breaking the group up a little bit. "We have something important to do."

Clemont nodded. He couldn't tell them that Team Neo was on their way back to Team Brutal's hometown. That kind of reveal would change the way the cool Christopher and Bethany would take the situation. Not that it mattered. They were heading in for a battle with Team Neo either way, even if it was just to save Ash. If they dealt some damage to the crime syndicate in the meantime, then everything was good. The others certainly seemed to think so, because Clemont soon realized he was the only one in the hall, other than Gurkinn.

"Ah! Wait for me!" he cried out, beginning his pathetic run to the exit from the Tower.

"Clemont," Gurkinn called out, and the blond inventor stopped his pursuit. "I'd like to say something, if you would let me."

"What is it?" Clemont was actually a little worried. Should he be worried? Or did he see those numerous flushes of skin that Clemont had been making around his granddaughter?

"I know you're headed in for a fight," he said sternly. "I'm too old for this sort of thing, so I want you to promise me that you'll look after my granddaughter and stop her from doing something foolish."

"Of course I will. Korrina is my f-friend," Clemont said. He hated the stutter, though.

"More than that, though," Gurkinn continued, "if these people are after the Scroll of Secrets and keystones, then they must be attempting something with Mega Evolution." He took a deep breath, like he was trying to compile his thoughts before looking at Clemont with such a serious look that it made the inventor stand up a little straighter. "If I'm right about that, then you should be aware, at its core, they may attempt something to do with the very source of Mega Evolution. They may very well intend to summon the father of Mega Evolution, itself: Rayquaza."

Clemont paled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Well, all of this escalated rather quickly, didn't it? There was obviously a lot that happened in this chapter. From Seamus' full backstory (or almost full) to Pikachu and Greninja going missing to the final theory that Gurkinn has presented to Clemont. Yep, that's right: Rayquaza may be coming back to the story…and as we all know, last time our heroes were almost hopeless against the Lord of the Skies! How will they handle this consistently escalating threat? Well, bit by bit, the plot is being elucidated, and it seems like some plots may be converging soon.
> 
> Enough of that, though. What did you all think? A bit of an action oriented opening followed by some heavy hitting stuff…except for Team Rocket. But come on: surely you knew I'd bring them in! (And I did hint at them) Most importantly, what did you think of Seamus' past (and Travis' for that matter)? I certainly hope you all enjoyed.
> 
> We're getting ever closer to the finish line, and I'm so grateful to have all your support. So until next we meet, please show your continued support by giving a Review and Dare to Be Silly.


	10. A Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An earlier posting time of the chapter today! Mostly just because I'm busy today and I wanted to make sure the chapter got up on time! Hopefully, you'll all enjoy and leave a review regardless! All right. Chapter 10, go!

Chapter 10

A Friend

"All right," Ash said, pulling his fingerless gloves a little tighter around his hand as he stared at the companions before him. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yes, sir!" Meowth responded with a wicked little smirk and a salute.

"Can't believe we're taking orders from the twerp…" Jessie complained. Ash sighed a little at the comment, wanting to make one of his own, but refraining from it.

"You know it's the safest bet, Jessie," James said. Jessie waved him off, like she was still annoyed with the details. "Either way, we've got our plan set and ready to roll."

"You just give us da commands, chief," Meowth answered seriously. "Da Rocket Balloon is prepped and ready for action. Dose Team Neo creeps won't know what hit 'em until dey get a face full of my Fury Swipes!"

"Guh, enough talking! My patience is wearing thinner than James' hair will someday!" Jessie snapped, and she finally began to stomp out of the cave furiously. James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet, all of them seemingly worried about Jessie's not-so-sudden shift in attitude, scrambled out of the cave after her. Ash watched them in amusement.

No matter how many times he teamed up with their group, he still found it strange every time. Maybe it was because when they worked together, Team Rocket didn't try to steal Pikachu, or maybe it was because of some of the other things they did along the way. It was such an odd relationship between all of them, and somewhere in the back of his mind, Ash wondered what he would do if they weren't there. They were as much a fabric of his life as Pikachu was, or as Serena had become along with his other friends. Looking over at Seamus, who was still leaning nonchalantly against the cave wall, he recalled what the blond had said earlier. He needed to find who he was without Travis. Ash wondered if he would ever need to find out who he was without Team Rocket. Not that it mattered; he was almost certain they would follow him until the day he died…or they did…whichever came first.

In any case, Ash was more than willing to work with them if it meant helping people. He just had to make sure they didn't pull their usual shenanigans along the way.

"You ready to go, Seamus?" Ash asked loudly, his voice echoing off the cave walls. Seamus, clearly still lost in thought, turned his head with a somewhat dazed expression.

"Yeah," the blond answered. It sounded a little hollow to Ash's ears, but he figured that may have just been an effect of the cave around them. Shortly after he thought this, Seamus shook his head. "Sorry. It's just…I have to face them, and that scares me."

"I get it," Ash told him, walking over and clasping his shoulder with a firm grip. "We all have to handle things that scare us, though, right? That's why, as soon as I get back to Serena, I'm going to tell her how I feel. I'm fine if you don't want to come with us, though. It can't be easy to fight your friends."

"No," Seamus replied sternly. He came up from leaning on the wall with a face set into an expression of determination. "I need to do this. They were my friends, but we're walking different paths. I can't speak to what's going on in Merry's mind, but Travis…he, at least, I need to face on my own."

"Then leave me to deal with Merle," Ash replied confidently, pointing proudly at his chest. "Besides, she really sucker punched me a few times. Those really hurt, too…"

"Ha…" Seamus laughed a little and Ash joined him. It was nice to see him a little bit lighter under the circumstances. It probably had helped immensely for him to talk about the situation and his past, no matter how much he had tried to run from it. "All right then, we get our Pokémon back and I'll leave her to you. Then I'll take Travis and help that idiot to realize his mistakes. He might listen if I talk to him…assuming he isn't in the punching mood again."

"Then you just punch him back!" Ash proclaimed. He wasn't always a fan of overt violence, but Ash also figured that Travis might not listen unless a fist was in his face. Now that he thought of it, the rest of Team Neo was probably the same. The very thought made him clench his fists; he'd have to be ready for a fight the second they got aboard the airship, and not just a simple Pokémon battle. This was a real brawl, like he had almost had with Zinnia two months ago.

"I might have to." Seamus' comment put a cap on the conversation and Ash nodded, the two of them finally leaving the cave they had been sheltering in for the better part of a few hours. When they finally emerged in the sun-dappled forest, all the more outlined by the recent rain, Ash caught sight of the Meowth balloon that was resting on the forest floor. He really had to wonder just how fast (and how many) they had put the thing together.

"About time, twerp!" James called over, resting lazily in the basket beneath. "We've been waiting to shove off!"

"Sorry," Ash apologized, not exactly sure why he was. Regardless, he stepped over the threshold and into the balloon. After seeing it and blowing it up so many times, it was a strange experience to step inside of it. This was doubled when he practically saw a table set up in the balloon. Even once Seamus joined him, it was surprisingly comfortable and roomy. "All right, let's go stop Team Neo!"

"Step on da gas!" Meowth ordered loudly. Next to him, Wobbuffet began cranking his arms quickly, puffing the balloon up and having it raise into the sky. The balloon shuddered a little bit and Ash watched as rockets popped out of the balloon. Now that he was working with them instead of against them, Ash could kind of see why Clemont would admire their work: a rocket powered balloon was pretty amazing.

"Wobba wobba!" With Wobbuffet's cry, the balloon shot off. Ash turned around to see James checking over some sort of monitor while Jessie yawned.

"So, how are we going to find them?" Ash asked, holding onto a wire as the balloon continued to fly forward.

"Don't look at me," Jessie said, opting for another yawn, "James is the one who deals with all the technology things."

"Dat's true…Jess ain't good for much except primpin' and complainin'," Meowth sniggered out. Jessie seemed to have a vein pulsing in her head and she dove for Meowth angrily. Ash sidestepped that and sidled over to James' side.

"I'll show you who should be complaining!" she screeched as they began to tussle inside the balloon. Seamus looked like he was shaking his head in disbelief while muttering "idiots" under his breath. Ash turned to James for an explanation instead.

"After we got blown out of the sky, we started eavesdropping on the rest of your twerp brigade," James explained easily. "At least, until they left for Shalour and Snowbelle City."

"So they  _were_  at Shalour City?" Ash asked in confirmation. James gave no answer to that one and continued to plow on with his explanation.

"In any case, we had to use good old ingenuity and common sense in our choice to follow the science twerp…well, that and sending Inkay out as a spy to go slightly long distance, along with a drone that happened to hit the airship."

"Dat's because Jess should never drive anything."

"One more crack, Meowth, and I'm throwing you out of this balloon!"

"Not letting that happen," Ash said with a fold of his arms. "As long as we're working together, I'm going to make sure that all of us achieve our goal and make it out okay. And that includes my Pokémon; you're not stealing them, all right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Jessie waved off. It was obvious that she didn't care for any terms or threats that he set down. Not that it mattered. However many times they worked together, Team Rocket would always be back trying to steal his Pokémon by the very next day. That was just the vicious cycle they lived in. "James, please tell me that bug Inkay placed on their stupid airship is still working."

"And how! The target should be visible within moments!" Ash had to give credit where credit was due: when it came to impressive machinery, they were number two (Clemont, of course, was number one). Sure enough, James' words proved true as the balloon cleared the trees and Ash saw the sight of the airship streaking through the skies. Now that he was up close, he could see how oddly massive it looked. He didn't remember the interior being that big.

Jessie and Meowth, having ceased their pointless squabble, leaned over the edge of the balloon with binoculars in hand, as if they were surveying the airship. Ash knew why, since it had all been part of their plan. They needed to find some kind of air shaft, or at least some kind of portal that would grant them entrance into the airship without setting every member of Team Neo on them. Eventually, Jessie finally pointed her finger forward with an "aha!".

"There's a small air shaft dead ahead on our left side," she told them proudly. "Large enough for at least a twerp to fit through."

"Great," Ash said, turning his hat around on his head, "then let's get into it and get my Pokémon back."

"Roger dat!" Meowth said, joining Wobbuffet at the pumping device for the balloon. They rose a little higher as they continued to sail along. It was probably only a few meters or so before Seamus nearly catapulted himself off the ledge of the balloon.

"We've got incoming!" he yelled. Ash squinted a bit, trying to see if he could spot what Seamus did. Once he had, he realized it wasn't that hard. Practically a whole horde of about ten Weezing and Golbat were flying at them. "Time to do your stuff, Team Rocker!"

"It's Team Rocket!" Jessie snapped. "Ugh, Gourgeist, use a rapid fire Shadow Ball!"

"Okay, Inkay, come out and use Psybeam today!" James also called. The two loyal Team Rocket Pokémon emerged from their pokeballs and immediately went flying towards the opposing force. Ash just watched the ensuing battle, clenching his fists together; he hated feeling helpless. Inkay rolled through the Shadow Balls effortlessly before spinning around as it fired off Psybeam. As it spun, the attack cut through the Weezing in large numbers, making them drop. "Way to go, Inkay! Now use Foul Play!"

"Inkay!" Inkay cried happily, grabbing a Golbat that was attempting to use Bite on it, and flinging it right in the path of one of Gourgeist's Shadow Ball. Ash had to admit to being impressed. Sure, he had seen the two of them battle well during the Kalos Team Tournament, but when things were at stake, no matter how petty their motivations were, Team Rocket had the battle chops to lay waste to their opponent.

"Agh, incoming Mothim!" Ash yelled out, noting a streak of yellow and orange amongst the blue and purple that were the Poison types. James joined him in looking and seemed to notice the same thing just as Mothim fired off the blue sphere that was an Air Slash.

"Intercept with Psybeam!" Inkay flipped upside down and fired his multicolored Psybeam straight at the sphere, where it impacted in a dazzling display of colors.

"I think they know we're here," Seamus joked out. That much was pretty obvious, especially at the sight of what looked like a small flying vehicle with Chi and a woman on it. Jessie quickly reacted at the sight of this.

"Gourgeist, protect the balloon! We're not getting blasted off yet. Use Bullet Seed!" Gourgeist attached a serious look to her face and then shot upward, firing off a rather rapid Bullet Seed as it rotated around the balloon, fending it off from some Air Cutter attacks thanks to the remaining Golbat.

"Doublade, use Shadow Sneak!" called out Chi. A visible shadow seemed to rip through the sky at a blinding pace from the flying machine that the Team Neo members were using, aiming straight for Gourgeist. The Pumpkin Pokémon seemed to still be in the midst of its attack when Doublade appeared behind it and sliced upward, sending Gourgeist straight into the balloon. It was a good thing that it didn't pop.

"Don't take that from them, Gourgeist. Use Shadow Ball!"

"Geist!" Gourgeist shouted angrily, bouncing back from the surface of the balloon to fire a Shadow Ball right at Doublade as it flitted away. The Sword Pokémon was much slower and the Shadow Ball impacted with its backside, sending the two swords rolling through the air, off course. Chi was looking on with indifference.

"Theta, a little support, dear," he said, adjusting the crossed bridge of his glasses. The woman, Theta, seemed to smile at the request.

"Quiver Dance, Mothim, and then use Bug Buzz on that Inkay," she said calmly. Mothim suddenly sprinted around the air effortlessly, and before long, even Ash couldn't see where it was at any given moment, considering that it was moving so quickly. In a flash, Mothim had appeared before Inkay and was radiating red waves that were pulsating quickly, causing the Rotating Pokémon pain. Ash could hear the sound waves reflected in his own ear drums but he refused to cover his ears from it.

"Inkay, Foul Play!" James yelled through gritted teeth. Clearly he was hearing and being affected by the Bug Buzz as well. Inkay was descending, and there was no way to be sure if he'd heard James' order under the effect of the extremely super-effective attack.

"Come on, Inkay, you can do it!" Ash yelled, hoping his own voice could be heard over the noise. Inkay's eyes started to glow with determination and its stubby arms whipped outward, grabbing ahold of Mothim and tossing it straight towards the still wounded Doublade. The two Pokémon collided with a clang.

"Nice move, James. Leech Seed!" Jessie said pompously. Gourgeist opened her mouth and fired out a large seed that traveled through the air and impacted squarely with the entangled Pokémon. Ash watched as that single seed sprouted forth into thick vines that wrapped around Doublade and Mothim. "Ah ha ha ha ha! Wonderful job, Gourgeist! Your moves are as elegant as ever!"

"Geist! Gourgeist!" she replied happily, twirling in the air like she was doing a little dance. It was bizarre, but no more bizarre than the two had acted during the Gourgeist Festival.

"Break it with Fury Cutter," Chi commanded. Doublade's swords glowed white and then sliced through the offending vines, the remains fluttering down to the forest floor. Ash grimaced; they were still on an approach to the airship, but if these two Pokémon weren't taken down soon, he wasn't sure if they'd be able to make it.

"Say what?" Jessie asked at the sight of the destroyed Leech Seed. Ash backed away, along with Seamus, just knowing this wouldn't go well for the opposing team. "Gourgeist, don't let those Team Neo flunkies get away with this! Use Seed Bomb!"

"You too, Inkay! Psybeam!" Both of Team Rocket's Pokémon fired their attacks straight from their mouths, aiming for their foes. The attack was so well coordinated in that moment that it almost seemed like the seeds Gourgeist was firing were actually a part of the Psybeam itself.

"Dear, I do believe we should use that combination we've developed," Chi spoke to Theta. Ash frowned at hearing their voices; it was almost like they were some sort of married couple. He watched as Theta nodded. "Doublade, Protect."

"Quiver Dance behind the Protect," Theta ordered. If Team Rocket's Pokémon had been moving with the utmost of precision, then Team Neo's were moving even better. Doublade quickly circled around to face the incoming attacks and erected a green shield that covered a wide area. Behind it, Mothim was dancing around like before, increasing its speed even further. "Now, Electroweb!"

"Dodge it!" Jessie and James yelled out, and even Ash found himself yelling it with them. Behind him, Meowth and Wobbuffet were furiously pressing buttons as the balloon jetted forward even more while maintaining altitude. They were certainly pushing their foes back, but Ash had a feeling that was going to make them more dangerous.

He just didn't expect his prediction to come true so soon.

The Electroweb flew out, forcing both Gourgeist and Inkay to drop their attacks and swerve out of the way. Unfortunately, it seemed like their movement allowed the attack to hit Mothim's real target: the balloon itself. Ash felt them drop altitude a little and he turned towards Meowth in alarm. "Don't look at me, twoip."

"Seems we might have a small puncture up top…" James observed, sweat pouring down his face in worry. Jessie, clearly not happy at hearing the news, grabbed James.

"Small puncture? ! James, you realize what happens when we get punctures on the balloon, right?" she screeched. That made Ash want to cover his ears as much as the Bug Buzz had.

"We go blasting off?" the blue-haired man asked nervously. Jessie looked ready to throttle him, but Seamus managed to interrupt what, to Ash, looked like some kind of odd lover's quarrel (not that he knew much about that, since he and Serena rarely fought).

"Put your focus back on the battle!" he roared loudly. "Air Slash incoming!"

"Gourgeis-"

"Wobba!" came the sudden cry of Team Rocket's unofficial fourth member. The blue lug suddenly sprang into the air, bounding upwards with a jump so high, it left everyone speechless. The blue orb of Air Slash was shooting forward towards the tear, but Wobbuffet got there in time. "Wobbuffet!"

"No, you stupid fool!" Jessie yelled and Ash could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes.

"Wobba…wobba Wobbuffet…" the Patient Pokémon responded just as the Air Slash impacted. His body glowed and the attack blasted back outward, consuming Mothim…but Wobbuffet didn't make it. As soon as his Mirror Coat attack ceased, he fell from the balloon, tumbling into the trees below. Ash couldn't move at the sight of it. Had Wobbuffet just sacrificed himself for them?

"That…that…" Jessie said, her body shaking. Ash swallowed, wanting to say something to comfort her. "That stupid blue idiot! Meowth, how are we on trajectory with this little problem?"

"A-Okay, Jess! Just needs a push!"

"So, you really think we should, then?" James asked, his tone sadder than even Ash would have expected it. Seamus turned away from his watching post to face them, showing that he was just as confused by their current course of dialogue.

"Of course! I'm not letting Wobbuffet upstage me and take all the credit!" Jessie said, hopping up to the edge of the balloon.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Ash yelled. In the distance, he could now see Doublade beginning to charge at them with Iron Head. "Guys-"

"We're not idiots, twerp," Jessie snapped at him, but Ash could see that she was smiling. "We knew from the beginning that this whole mission was insane."

"But you know that Team Rocket doesn't stop once they get an idea in their brain!" James concurred, joining Jessie at the edge. Ash's eyes widened in realization: they were going to jump off the edge to lighten the load. Not wanting that to happen, he took a step towards them only to find one of Meowth's claws at his throat.

"So, no tryin' to stop us, 'cause that'd be lame," the feline finished up. "Boosters all set and ready to go!"

"Then let's make this Team Rocket's final hurrah. If it helps the twerp take down an organization, I'm sure the boss will look back favorably on us in the end. Gourgeist, one last attack. Use Seed Bomb to push the balloon forward from behind."

"And you, Inkay, use Tackle."

"No, hey…stop!" Ash yelled. "I may not like you guys because you're always after Pikachu, but I don't want you to sacrifice yourself!"

"Not your choice, twerp," Jessie said with a smile. With Meowth's claw still held at his throat, he couldn't do anything. "This way,  _we_  get to be the heroes for once."

"But…why?" he asked, shaking his head. This just couldn't be real.

"Because it'll always be us five!" James proclaimed. At this moment, Meowth retracted his claws and joined them on the precipice. Ash immediately lunged…and they slipped off the edge. "We may be enemies, but we're also the best of friends, old chum!"

"NO!" Ash yelled. His fingers missed grabbing them and the three Team Rocket members, brave but stupid, plummeted below. At the same moment, he watched as Meowth pressed a button while Inkay and Gourgeist's attacks collided with the back of the balloon. They catapulted forward, the Iron Head attack entirely missing the balloon, only to slam into Team Rocket's Pokémon. Seamus was staring at the scene with his eyes wide and his mouth open. Ash could only scream, "TEAM ROCKET!"

Then they were gone from view.

Ash's hand was still hanging over the balloon, his eyes staring at where they had been in disbelief. That couldn't have just happened…they couldn't have just…Ash's fists clenched and his jaw tightened with anger. James had spoken truth: they were enemies…but the five of them had been bound together for so long, that it made him far too angry for them to just disappear.  _Don't worry…I'll beat them, for all of us._

"Friends…and enemies…" Seamus breathed out, like he was trying to recover from the event himself. Ash spared him truly the briefest of glances as the blond stared at his hands in confusion. There was no time for that; the balloon was hurtling at unbelievable speeds towards the airship, and Ash knew they'd crash in moments…on the bottom.

"Seamus, we've gotta pump just a little bit more air into the balloon. Come on," Ash cried out, running to the device that Wobbuffet had been using earlier. He began to crank it, but found it was slightly harder than he thought. "Seamus!"

"R-right…" Seamus said, shaking his head of whatever was plaguing him. He stepped to the other side and began to help with the pumping, the balloon slightly rising, just enough to get them within altitude range. Ash let go, and climbed onto the edge of the basket, Seamus joining him. As the airship cruised along, the balloon came within a hair's breadth of hitting it before the two trainers jumped.

Ash wildly waved his hands and caught onto a ledge that ran around the airship, leading towards the air vent they were trying to reach. His arms strained with the effort, but Ash managed to lead the both of them along the ledge, hoping that no other Pokémon would interfere. Finally, his hands reached the vent and he grabbed it with one hand, pulling as hard as he could until it was ripped off and flew down to the forest below. Then he heaved himself up and into the air shaft, the sound of wind howling in his ears. That part had been a little easier than he thought it would be. Seamus climbed in after him, both catching their breaths.

"I'm sorry…" Seamus said, heaving in his breaths. "I…I didn't think they would…"

"I'm okay," Ash assured him. "Team Rocket…they did what they felt was right to them…and besides, if they survived, they'll come right after Pikachu, anyway."

"You guys really are both, huh?" Ash turned to look at him with curiosity. "Enemies, but friends. I think…I know how to talk to Travis now."

"Great," Ash said, getting onto his hands and knees to crawl forward. "Then let's get our Pokémon back and take down these creeps." Seamus' silence was a sign of his acknowledgement and the two began to crawl along, looking for a place where they would be able to enter the ship proper. No doubt their presence was already known, but Ash couldn't tell what was going on with the loud sounds of whooshing air in his ears. Eventually, Seamus pulled on his pant leg, stopping outside of a top vent into an empty hallway. Ash smiled and then kicked it out.

The vent fell to the floor with a loud clatter and both boys dropped to the ground effortlessly. Ash dusted himself off a little bit. "They'll have heard that. Any idea where to go?"

"Hmm…" Seamus mused, glancing around the corridor they were in before nodding. "I think the room to the cells is that way. I hope you have a plan for getting them out."

"I might," Ash confirmed. Actually, he didn't…at least, not a foolproof one. He had a potential idea, but it required a lot of things to go just right. He wouldn't tell Seamus that, though. The boy had enough on his mind without having to worry about that on top of it. Still, Ash let Seamus lead the way to their destination. Once they turned a corner, they got a surprise.

"There are the intruders!" yelled a Team Neo member. Ash didn't take note of his face as the guy ran at him. He just brought his body into a battle stance. It felt a little unnatural while he wasn't synched up with Greninja, but he was more than happy to take the things he'd learned from one of his best Pokémon just to stop Team Neo. The guy punched a button on the wall and the alarm sounded right before he whipped a pokeball from his belt.

"No way!" Ash yelled, clocking his fist against the man's face and knocking him out. At least it had been quick, if the feeling didn't sit right with Ash. There was no time to contemplate this as more Team Neo members were charging down the hall with Bs on their jumpsuits. Ash sprung past Seamus, making a kick that knocked one into the others. The first one was back up in seconds and Ash was already making an uppercut that knocked him backwards. Another one then seemed ready to fight back by throwing a pokeball, but Ash leapt upward and caught it before throwing it back like a shuriken that bonked the guy on the head. He collapsed into the others and left them all in a heap on the ground.

"Uhh…" Seamus' voice sounded, almost speechless. Ash just turned towards him and grinned sheepishly. "Where did you learn all that?"

"Um…long story," Ash admitted, rubbing the back of his head. He, himself, still couldn't really explain it, but moving that way, like Greninja…it just felt so instinctive and natural. He felt like he could put up a real fight if he needed to, much better than he had against Zinnia.

"Right…whatever. Let's get a move on, then," Seamus responded, dashing towards another hall. The sound of pounding footsteps was behind them, and Ash wasn't entirely sure how far they'd get before the troops of Team Neo caught up to them. Seamus wasn't stopping for anything, in any case, weaving a convoluted path through the halls until they reached what appeared to be a very familiar door to Ash. Sharing a quick nod, he opened the door and the duo ran forward into the room.

"I thought you'd come here…" Ash's foot shifted forward, and he raised his fists defensively. Merle was standing there, her Yanmega floating above her head ominously. "As soon as I knew there were intruders, it was obvious it was you coming back for your Pokémon."

"Merry…" Seamus breathed out, taking a step forward. Ash threw his hand out to stop him. There was no reasoning with this girl; he could tell that by looking at her. Her amethyst eyes sparkled with a small sense of playfulness, but there was something deeper that made Ash's skin crawl: bloodlust. Whoever Merle was now, was not the Merry that Seamus once knew. "You don't have to do this. Why are you trying to hurt people?"

"Father has ordered it," Merle said simply. "We're just doing what needs to be done to heal the pain."

"Are you talking about your moth-"

"Don't talk about my mama!" Merle snarled, and she pounced. This time, Ash was ready to intercept her. She approached him and slashed at him with her fingers, to which Ash threw out his hands and knocked the fist upward before bringing his knee up in an attempt to hit her in the chest. Merle didn't fall for it and instead grabbed his arm, throwing him into the nearby wall. "Sonic Boom."

"Yan yan," called the Yanmega as it fluttered its wings, sending a near invisible projectile hurtling at Ash. He wouldn't let himself get hit by that and he rolled away, the Sonic Boom hitting the wall and causing the glass cases attached to it to rattle. Catching sight of that, he smiled a little. His slapdash plan could have some merit, after all. Knowing that, he kicked up from where he was lying on his back.

This time, Merle grabbed his leg. Ash attempted to break free, but was finding it impossible. Merle smirked a little at his predicament and then spun him. His body was whipped upward, spinning around uncontrollably until Merle kneed him in the stomach and sent him against the glass cases. He could practically hear the pokeballs rattle as well as something that sounded like a crack forming.  _Just a little more…_

 _Skreeeeeee!_  The loud sound of Yanmega's Screech emanated across the hallway, zeroing in on Ash himself, forcing him to cover his ears from the sound. A little down the hallway, tucked into a corner, was Seamus, himself recoiling from the loud attack. Ash knew he couldn't get off his game, though, because Merle was charging right at him, her hands now balled into fists as she punched at him. Moving on instinct, Ash threw up a hand to block, batting the attack away from him. Her other fist came across and almost blindsided him, but he managed to use the same hand he had used before to block that blow as well.

Merle wasn't stopping. Her fists came flying at him in an unprecedented fury, and no matter how hard he tried, Ash found himself very quickly being overwhelmed by the quick attacks.  _This is so much easier when I'm synched…I don't know how Greninja does it_. It certainly gave him greater respect for his Pokémon and what they went through. Merle's next fist was aimed straight as his gut, and Ash jumped back, not wanting to be incapacitated for the second time in two days. His back hit the glass case, stunning him for a moment.

"She's aiming for your head!" Seamus yelled out. Ash blinked, and for a moment, the scene slowed itself as Merle's fist came forward in an attempt to collide with his head. Once that moment passed, Ash ducked and rolled away. The fist made contact with the case…and shattered it. Ash rushed forward and this time was successful in slamming into Merle with his knee to get her away from his pokeballs. Before she could recover, he grabbed all of them, easily picking out which ones were his.

"Seamus!" Ash yelled, tossing his companion's pokeballs over to the blond as quickly as possible. He caught them and gave Ash a thumbs up.

"I'll see you topside!" Seamus confirmed, dashing for the ladder to the airship's roof. "There must be a way to the bridge from there. I'll find Travis and talk him down. You handle Merry."

"No, you won't! Sonic Boom!" Merle grunted out, standing up straight. Yanmega whipped around to face Seamus, whose hands were already wrenching open the door to the outside.

"Noivern, I choose you! Use Boomburst!"

"Vern!" Noivern cried out in happiness. With only that cry to indicate he was happy to see his trainer, Noivern swooped forward, surprisingly able to fit in the hallway, and his sound waves echoed forth, colliding with the Sonic Boom. The two attacks met and dispersed, allowing Seamus the chance to continue his climb upward. Merle now turned to Ash.

"I can understand why he wanted you caught now," she said distastefully. "You're meddlesome…"

"If that means I can stop you guys, I'm okay with that," Ash said seriously, turning his hat back around on his head so that the brim was facing forward. "I don't like it when people hurt others, and right now you're the worst of the worst. I won't let you get away with this. Noivern, use Acrobatics."

It seemed to be a tight fit in the small hallway, but Ash had complete faith that Noivern would make it work. Sure enough, the Sound Wave Pokémon glowed blue and began zipping forward through the hallway, nearly knocking Merle over in the process just to score a very clean hit on Yanmega. Ash pumped his fist at the victory, only to watch as Yanmega twirled in midair and then slashed across Noivern's midsection with a Steel Wing. Ash grimaced from that. There was seemingly no way to mount any kind of attack without it being countered right away. Then Ash noticed the shattered glass.

"Noivern, use Boomburst on the glass to get it into the air!" he roared. Noivern flapped his wings to get some distance between himself and Yanmega before sending his attack at the glass. The rest of the casing completely shattered and the glass flew forward like a shower of shards. Merle covered her face while Yanmega tried flitting back and forth to avoid the glass, only for one to briefly strike its side. This was Ash's chance and he ran forward, swinging his fist and sinking it into Merle's face. The girl recoiled backward. "Now, use Dragon Claw!"

Noivern gave a cry and finally closed the gap between himself and Yanmega, his claws glowing green as he slashed across the Ogre Darner Pokémon. Yanmega dropped altitude but quickly recovered by sending out red waves that affected Noivern only slightly. Merle was on the move again, aiming right for him with a growl. The Bug Buzz was just an obvious distraction. Noivern looked back at him and Ash looked to the ground. His Pokémon very quickly got the clue, facing its ears downward and firing a Boomburst at the ground. Once more, the shards of glass sprung up into the air, providing their own distraction. Trainer and Pokémon moved together, with Noivern using one more Acrobatics to completely take Yanmega out of the air, while Ash swept his leg across and slammed Merle into the wall.

"Now, Supersonic!" Ash called out. Noivern nodded and sent out the powerful soundwaves from his ears. Yanmega wasn't moving, but Merle certainly seemed to be clutching her ears in writhing agony. That was enough for Ash and he ran for the ladder. Once he had a firm grip on it, he recalled Noivern and began to climb, noting that the door to the roof was very clearly open, and the sounds of trainers battling could be heard over it.

"Eelektross, use Headbutt!" roared a livid voice, no doubt Travis'. Ash increased his rate of climbing until he could finally peek his head over the top, just in time to see the Electric type slam into Emboar before whipping around and slicing its chest with an Aqua Tail. Standing opposite from one another were Seamus and Travis, the two obviously having encountered each other earlier than expected.

"Grab it, Emboar. Send it flying into him using Power-Up Punch!" Seamus yelled. Ash started to bring himself up to the roof, the wind whistling in his ears as he watched Emboar grab hold of Eelektross tightly. Its fist glowed red and then it slammed it into Eelektross' face a few times before letting go and forcing the opposing Pokémon to fly back towards Travis.

"Still using that pathetic Emboar!" Travis jeered. "It lost to Ketchum, and now it'll lose to me! Use Discharge!"

"Emboar's stronger than any of your Pokémon, Travis! The fact that you need to keep switching yours out proves that!" Seamus said. Ash finished climbing and he slammed the door shut behind him before turning to the battle. "You need to let go of all this right now!"

"I won't!" Travis screamed just as an electric aura surrounded Eelektross and blasted outwards, enveloping Emboar, who seemed to hunker down under the pain. "You and I were rivals, bound together by a common philosophy! Then you betrayed me!"

"Is that why you're doing this?" Seamus yelled out. "You're going to join Team Neo in, what, committing genocide because you feel slighted? Flare Blitz, Emboar!'

"Boar!" Emboar yelled out, its body surrounded by blazing flames as it crashed forward across the top of the airship, leaving melted metal in its wake. Eelektross was on the move already, Travis' order unheard over the wind and raging flames, but it wasn't long before Eelektross' body slammed into Emboar's causing sparks to scatter all over the airship surface.

"No…because I won't accept things. I won't just lay down like you did, old friend!" Travis yelled back. "I'm taking back what should have been mine. I'm building  _my_  new future. Aqua Tail!"

"What kind of nonsense is that? !" Seamus called back as Eelektross wrapped its way around Emboar, its tail glowing bright blue in a torrent of water. Overhead, Ash could see the sun was beginning to set on the forest, and in the far distance, he could have sworn that he saw the lights of Nova Town. All of that paled in comparison to the battle before him as Emboar cried out in pain. "You're really twisted, Travis."

"And you're not? We are what Dalton made us to be," Travis said, calmer than everything else he said while Eelektross uncoiled itself from around a heaving Emboar. "You owe him that. No matter how much you run from it, you're still just 'Seamus, Dalton's Apprentice'."

"I'm not! I'm me!" Seamus yelled. "I've changed! I'm walking the road to a different future!"

"Oh, really? Then how come your Emboar is so exhausted from fighting me, but you don't even seem to care?" Travis finally cackled out. Eelektross began to move without its trainer's orders, swinging a fist forward that was crackling with electricity. Even Seamus wasn't giving an order and Emboar reacted, a fire wreathed punch connecting with it. The power between the two attacks sent off a blast that nearly catapulted Ash backwards.

"I do care…because…because I know Emboar can take it," Seamus said confidently. "I believe in him; just like he believes in me. That's what it means to be a Pokémon trainer! No matter how many times we lose, we grow stronger together."

"That's childish naiveté. This world is for the winners."

"Well, if that's what you think! I'll show you what a real winner looks like, you piece of trash!" Seamus roared. It was a vicious statement; like something he would have said before. Whatever it was, Ash saw the feral quality of his face as he ordered for Emboar to use one last Flare Blitz. Travis countered with a Discharge, but it now meant nothing to a charging duo, both trainer and Pokémon heading for their respective opponents. Ash began to run forward, too, hoping to stop the fight before this got out of hand.

None of that mattered, because the fight was over in seconds. Emboar slammed violently into Eelektross, consuming the EleFish in flames as it went flying over the edge of the airship. At the same time, Seamus reached Travis and tackled him, sending them both onto the ground. Travis attempted to stop him by throwing a punch, but Seamus caught it and punched him across the face. And then another. And another.

"Seamus, stop!" Ash cried out, and finally, Seamus heard him. His limbs sagged as he stared at the sight of a bruised and battered Travis before him. Backing up, he seemed to look at his own bruised knuckles in revulsion. As he did so, Travis got up slowly, a scowl on his face.

"You see? You haven't changed…" he spat, blood flying out with the spit. Seamus was taking heaving breaths, and Ash stepped forward, hoping to help the both of them when the blond started speaking.

"You're right," he breathed out. "Maybe I haven't. Not completely, at least. But…you never even tried to change, Travis. That's…that's on me."

"What?" The question was so flat, like Travis truly hadn't seen that one coming, and he almost stopped moving entirely. This lapse in movement allowed Seamus to drop his arms, walk over and haul Travis to his feet.

"I want to change. I need to, and so did you. But instead of finding you and helping you, I focused only on myself," Seamus said. His tone was so quiet, that Ash could barely even hear it over the wind. "For that, I failed you as a friend. Dalton may have taught us, but I encouraged us. I made us who we were by advocating that kind of treatment of our Pokémon. I twisted us, and I never even saw it."

"What…what are you saying, Seamus?" Travis asked, a slight quiver in his voice. It was so unlike the boy, and Ash could swear that for the first time he saw an emotion other than anger in the redhead's eyes. In fact, he saw two: fear and…sadness?

"I'm saying…I'm sorry," the blond told him. "I'm sorry for what you've become because of me. So, please, let me make things right. Let's start over together, and build a brighter future. We don't need to be who we were or hurt others. We just need to start at zero and go back to one. We can still do that, can't we?" At this, Seamus reached out and put a hand on Travis' shoulder.

"So…you want…to go back to the beginning? To where we started?"

"Together," Seamus confirmed. Both of the boys were heaving, and Ash took another step. After a long moment of nothing but the howling wind, Travis' arms seemed to sag. He was giving in. The scowl was gone. The fight was over. He reached down to pull a pokeball from his belt and held it up.

"Do…do you remember this?" he asked. Ash stepped forward again and caught sight of the pokeball, three scratch marks across it.

"Of course. It was your first Pokémon, the one I defeated after it evolved when you returned to Nova Town," Seamus responded with a smile. "You still have it. After all this time?"

"Yes. It lost, but I could never let go of it," Travis said. Now he was looking at his best friend, a sad smile on his face. "Today, I'm glad I didn't."

The pokeball opened and a Beartic appeared. Ash looked at it in surprise for a moment before his eyes widened. No order was given. No words were spoken. But the scene before him was too horrible for words.

Beartic's claws suddenly sliced right through Seamus all the way to Emboar, holding them both in the air for a moment before depositing them to the ground. Ash screamed and he ran forward. Behind him, the covering on the ladder burst open and Merle appeared, flipping through the air. Ash looked back for less than a second, but that distraction was enough for her to land on him and pin him to the ground.

"No!" Ash yelled, his hand reaching forward, as if he could still reach the bleeding Seamus from that distance. Merle was making that an impossibility, and all he could do was watch as Travis' snarl returned while he bent down and held Seamus' head up roughly.

"I'm glad, because it means that I'm finally able to beat you."

"Tra…vis…" Seamus grunted out, his breath coming out in gasps. Travis leaned in, like he was willing to listen before Ash heard clapping.

"What a show, though not quite how I expected," spoke the very clear voice of Dalton. Even with his head pinned, Ash could still see the approaching figure. Though his tone appeared to be treating the whole thing like a joke, his eyes weren't smiling. This was very much a serious matter for him. Ash attempted to struggle, but he barely managed to get his hand free before Merle tightened down on his head. "If you had just given in to who you are, Seamus, you wouldn't have to feel this pain."

"I…don't care…" Seamus groaned out, coughing a bit. "I'm…not your…puppet…I'm…me…"

"What does having a 'me' even mean?" Dalton asked sharply. "What does it mean to you, Seamus? Does it mean you can change? Does it mean denying what you are?

"Not…like you…Not…the same…" Dalton looked at him for a moment with what appeared to be pity. Then he strode forward, shoved Travis out of the way and slammed Seamus' head into the hard surface. As he crouched to do so, Ash caught sight of Medicham behind him.

"But you are! When will you accept that?" Dalton said calmly, even if his voice was louder than necessary. "Look in the mirror, Seamus! Did you really think you could change?" This time, Seamus offered no response. No words, no movement. It was like all of the fight had gone out of Seamus' body and his eyes had dimmed. "Change…you can't change just because you want to. Change has to be forced. That's the only way it sticks!"

"That's not true!" Ash screamed. Adrenaline and fury pumped through his veins, and at last he was able to muster enough energy to rise upward and throw Merle off. Clambering to his feet, Ash dashed straight for Dalton. "You're just trying to force them to go down your own road! Seamus is taking his own path, of his own free will!"

"Medicham," Dalton called. Ash watched as Medicham flew at him, his fist blazing with a white light. It was far too fast, and Ash knew he wouldn't be able to block. This was it. He knew this was it. So, he said what he had to.

"You're the ones who can't change. But I still believe in him. I believe he can." Ash closed his eyes, waiting for the attack to come. For Dalton's final order.

"Gren…ninja!"

"…chu pi!" The sounds made Ash's eyes snap open and he was able to see Greninja come pelting out of nowhere to intercept Medicham's attack with the white blade of Cut before an Electro Ball slammed into the opposing Pokémon. Pikachu landed, his eyes looking with determination at Ash.

"You…you guys are here?" Ash asked in surprise. Pikachu, smiling, ran over to him.

"Pikapi!" he cried, leaping onto Ash's shoulder for a moment to lick his face before hopping back down. Ash smiled back. Then a new sound rose above the wind, sounding a lot like the beating of helicopter rotors. His suspicions proved to be true as all eyes were drawn to the sight of a helicopter flying overhead and five people dropping down from it via ropes.

"Ten-point landing!"

"Whee! This is fun!"

"Bonnie, stop screaming. I think I'm going to hurl."

"Remind me never to skydive off a helicopter again…"

Ash blinked and watched as all five of the figures landed before him. There were four bursts of light and two of the figures backed away. When the light receded, another grin stretched Ash's face as they turned to him.

"Clemont! Bonnie! Christopher! Bethany! Korrina? !"

"Heya, Ash!" Korrina said cheerfully, both she and Lucario giving Ash a thumbs up. "Been a while. I'd love to catch up, but I've got a keystone to take back."

"Right. Sorry we're late, Ash," Clemont said. Ash felt the exact opposite; they were right on time. Looking to Pikachu and Greninja, he nodded. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bethany and Bonnie move away, allowing him to step forward to join his friends. The counterattack was about to begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Well…this chapter…this chapter…It was tough. Three different battles that were as different as different could get, all culminating in, what I think was, an emotional moment between these two friends. Of course, Seamus is down for the count and Dalton…well, the less said at this point, the better. But still! The ending! I hope I made it kind of epic for their "big damn heroes" moment. All that's left is what's going on with Serena and that other group on their way to Nova Town. A very quick note here: this scene between Seamus and Travis, along with the bombing at the beginning, it was one of the first scenes planned…though it was originally going to be Merle saying "Look in the mirror". In the end, I preferred the end result of Dalton saying it. But what do you all think?
> 
> As for how Pikachu and Greninja found Ash. Super speedy ninja skills, their bonds with each other…and Travis is an idiot who leaves trails a mile wide.
> 
> I'm really enjoying this portion of the story now, and I hope you all are too. I'll continue writing, so I'd love it if you all continue to read and review. So, until we next meet, Review and Dare to Be Silly.


	11. A Counter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, hopefully Chapter 11 won't disappoint! So, let'z go! (Yes, I had to…)

Chapter 11

A Counter

"We're here, Diantha," called Kathi Lee, prompting Serena to look out the window. Sure enough, the rustic tiled rooves of Nova Town were right below them, slowly approaching as the helicopter descended. Craning her neck a little, Serena could see that the marketplace was still in shambles, but the townspeople were back on their feet, cleaning through the mess. She really didn't want to imagine how many had been injured in the attack yesterday, judging by the Pokémon Center's population. "How long do you plan on staying this time?"

"Not sure," Diantha answered. "We're here for information, and I'm not quite so sure how quick it will be to get any. Keep in contact, and let the League know my status. I'm sure the president is working towards any details."

"Oh, yes, that reminds me," the other woman responded, slipping a note over to Diantha. The Champion read it unblinkingly and then nodded. "He said he's waiting for your call."

"Then I'll make that the first thing to do upon landing. Be careful, Kathi; we don't know what Team Neo's plan is, so you should head away from here. I'll contact you when everything is in the clear."

"Roger that, Diantha," she replied and the helicopter promptly touched down. Diantha was the first out, but Serena wasn't far behind her, with Astrid and Rocky taking up the rear. Straightening her fedora a little bit, Serena followed after the Champion. They were here to find facts, and without having a place to start, following her seemed to be the best option for the moment. The older female immediately started making way for the Pokémon Center. Serena weaved her way through some of the citizenry of Nova Town, a few of them bruised but otherwise okay as they were helped along by (or were helping) their Pokémon. At the very least, the Pokémon Center seemed to be less busy than it was before.

"So, what are we doing here?" Rocky asked loudly. Serena shrugged while Diantha outright ignored him to reach the phone. The honey blonde watched as she waited for the line to connect and a man's face appeared on screen. She didn't recognize him, nor did she hear much of what he was saying, but Diantha appeared to be nodding.

"Then it was an impostor?" she asked. The man on the screen appeared to say something to confirm it. "Can't believe we never noticed that…and you're sure Aaron is all right?"

Now, Serena could hear something from the man on the other end. "Physically, he's fine. Mind still recovering from the Hypnosis, though. Had they attacked him back home we would have noticed sooner, but…"

"Thanks for your hard work. At least now we know that no one overtly betrayed the League," Diantha concluded. The man nodded and the conversation seemed to end, the line going dead with it while Diantha turned to look at her current companions.

"Is there something wrong, Champion?" Astrid asked. Serena watched Diantha's face, noting that she seemed slightly perturbed, as if she wasn't sure if she should say anything. Eventually, though, she sighed loudly.

"No. It appears we've found our 'traitor'," she explained. Hearing that, Serena's eyes narrowed as she listened intently. "One of the Sinnoh Elite Four was en route to the Summit location when supposedly one of his Pokémon got sidetracked by a signal from a similar Pokémon. He was taken captive and then hypnotized, likely by that Mismagius, to reveal the location of the Summit. One of Team Neo's operatives then impersonated him to give the signal to strike. Apparently, they let him wander aimlessly until he stumbled into Santalune City. They just got finished interrogating him."

"That was a lucky break," Rocky spat out. "They just assumed that they'd find an Elite Four member in Kalos that could lead them to the Summit?"

"Most likely a mix of guesswork and assumption," Diantha concluded. "I have a rather busy schedule, so traveling to other regions isn't quite so easy. They probably figured the Summit would be held somewhere in the region. Besides, even if they hadn't been able to infiltrate that way, it's very likely they have backup plans. Team Neo seems to be very thorough that way."

Serena couldn't disagree with that. Almost every aspect of their plan had been flawless. True, they had managed to stop Travis from stealing Wulfric's keystone at Snowbelle, but Serena had a very distinct feeling that at best that was a minor setback. Their assaults had all been too perfectly planned otherwise. A backup plan was inevitable under those circumstances.

"Serena," said a soft voice, with an equally soft hand on her shoulder accompanying it. It didn't make the Performer jump, however, and she turned towards the source of the voice. Standing there was Elaine, smiling at her. Serena smiled back, though with a little bit of sadness.

"I'm sorry, Miss Elaine," she said. "Seamus wasn't at Snowbelle."

"No reason to apologize," Elaine said kindly, patting her just a little. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay, and I'm glad to see that you are. Are you hungry? Have you eaten anything all day?"

"Well…" At the mere mention of food, Serena's stomach grumbled a little, forcing her to laugh in embarrassment. "I guess I kind of am…"

"Not a problem," Elaine chuckled out herself. "Why don't you stop by the house later? I'll have some dinner waiting there, if you want it. You, too, Rocky; don't bother hiding yourself from me."

"Uh, yeah. Sorry, Miss Elaine." Rocky's voice sounded so frightened that it came off as a complete contrast to how he acted in battle. Clearly Elaine was, in every aspect, a mother. Which also meant that she likely knew more than she mentioned about everything. Or at least about the state of the town, which was what interested Serena the most at the moment.

"Um…how is everything?" Serena asked, turning to face Seamus' mother. The woman turned back, placing her hand on the doorframe of the Pokémon Center's exit.

"Surprisingly well," she answered. "Some people are still sifting through the destroyed stands, but it looks like people are doing fine. Still a few nicks and scratches, but otherwise okay. The Pokémon are suffering a little more than the people, but Nurse Joy should be able to patch them up in time…given the extent of the damage."

Somehow, Serena felt her heart sink at those words. Team Neo had truly done a number on Nova Town with their invasion, regardless of whether there were casualties or not. The very thought of it made Serena lower her head. "I see…"

"Don't worry about it," Elaine assured her with a laugh. "The people of Nova Town are resilient. We'll bounce back in no time. You all just do what you need to do and I'll have some supper waiting." Those were her parting words as she left the Center. Her encouraging words helped bring a smile back to Serena's face, though she still felt herself fingering Greninja's pokeball, hoping that he and Pikachu were safe on their search for Ash.

"Seamus' mom is way too nice, sometimes," Rocky commented. He still looked embarrassed. Serena smiled at him, which seemed to have only increased that sense of nervousness. "She's the reason he and I met. She noticed me and Rhyhorn by one of the Gates all alone and brought me over. She was always nice like that…"

"She was the same for us when we first got into the town. It surprised me," Serena laughed out and both of them shared a good laugh…at least until Serena noticed that Astrid was surveying them with amusement. Diantha had moved off to speak with Nurse Joy and some of the people lingering at the Pokémon Center. Serena wondered if she felt responsible for the attack somewhat. Her absence seemed to allow Astrid to relax.

"So, I've been wondering," the blonde began, a finger tapping her chin, "what's the whole thing with these Gates? I mean, Serena said that they were glowing like the meteorites in Ancien City."

"That's right! I totally forgot about that!" Serena exclaimed, trying to not hit herself on the head. "I do wonder if there's a connection."

"Why don't we survey them, then?" Astrid suggested, winking a little at the two trainers. "I mean, maybe we might get some kind of clue. I'm no archaeology expert, but…you know…"

"It's the best lead we have," Rocky conceded.

"I'll go let Diantha know, and then we'll head off." Serena decided that was easily the best option and just watched the older trainer go quietly inform Diantha of where they'd be heading to. The Champion nodded and seemed to say something briefly before Astrid rejoined them. Rocky was the one leading them out. "She says she'll meet up with us once she finishes speaking with the citizens. I guess they're pretty shaken still."

"Not surprised," Serena agreed, falling into step with Astrid. Rocky was already far ahead of them and they began to pick up their pace. Once more on the streets, Serena's eyes were drawn to the lingering desecration of the area. It looked better than it had before, but some of the craters and ripped pavement tiles lingered. This became especially more striking in certain areas of the marketplace. As they passed by one of the Gates, Astrid stopped and touched it.

"Seems like solid rock to me," she said. After a few seconds she tried to knock on it and then put her ear against it. "Yep. Totally normal."

"So did the meteorites and they split dimensions open," Serena pointed out. Drawing into her own thoughts, Serena did realize that the meteorites in Ancien had always glowed green, so that was the biggest difference; but she also figured it had something to do with Team Neo's invasion earlier. Maybe that had something to do with coming in contact with keystones?

"Would certainly explain the 'otherworldly' feel to them," Rocky answered. He was busy examining the fountain, still in pristine condition. "You've heard about the town superstition, right?"

"Sure have."

"Nope."

"Right…well, it's simply, whichever Gate you go through when leaving for a journey determines your destiny," Rocky said. "So, trainers always try to choose the one they want to bless their journey, or what they think would be a good fit for them. I chose the Gate of Fire, for example."

"Fire, huh? But your name is Rocky, right? Sounds counter-intuitive…" Astrid commented. Rocky scrunched his face at her comment, to which she chuckled apprehensively. As if ignoring the blonde trainer, Rocky took to looking at the fountain even closer. For a moment, Serena thought that he would fall in.

"Fire represents passion and unrelenting willpower," Rocky explained. "I might specialize in Rhyperior, but I wanted to show my passion for Rhyperior, and to prove how strong we were I thought we needed willpower. It was a good fit. Beth left through the Gate of Water, representing an ability to shift and change along with empathy, useful in a traveler. Chris, on the other hand, went through the Gate of Wind…never figured that one out because it was meant to represent capriciousness and multitude. I think that's just fancy talk for saying someone is what they need to be at any moment."

" _That_  describes Christopher to a tee," Serena thought. "He always adapts to the mood of the situation, even if he never says it, right? Leader if he needs to be, follower if that's the best."

"Guess you're right."

"I know Seamus left through the Gate of Earth, so what does that one represent?" Serena asked, now joining Rocky at the fountain. Astrid was back to examining the Gate they had passed through, the Gate of Wind. She almost looked impressed with the local superstition.

"Travis did, too. That's no surprise. Even though we were all kind of friends, those two seemed to have their little inseparable duo thing going on. Uh…well, the Gate of Earth stood for-huh?" Rocky cut himself off, leaving Serena just a little frustrated. This was the second time someone didn't tell her what the Gate of Earth represented. "This wasn't here before."

"What wasn't?" Serena questioned, leaning in towards what Rocky was pointing at. Finally, she caught sight of what looked like a small sparkle at the base. "That…kind of looks like a small chunk of meteorite…I think?"

"Don't know. Whatever it is, though, it wasn't there before. I can tell you that," Rocky insisted. "I used to play by this fountain all the time before, and I can officially say that there only used to be a tiny little hole there. Now there isn't."

Serena wasn't sure what to say in regards to that, but she certainly scratched her head a little. Meteorites, meteorites, meteorites…that's all everything was turning up lately in regards to Mega Evolution and everything else.

"Keystones, meteorites, and Shalour City, the home of Mega Evolution," mused the voice of Diantha. Finally turning, Serena noticed that the Champion had joined them. "Huh…everything seems to be leading towards some sort of Mega Evolution."

"It's definitely weird," Astrid said. Her arms were folded as she, too, examined the now shining spot. "Looks like some sort of special meteorite stone. I think I remember seeing one sold at Geosenge Town. Wasn't interested, though. I already had my Absolite by then."

"Ugh, I hate this legend stuff! One Rayquaza and Jirachi were enough!" Rocky screamed out, throwing his hands in the air. Serena couldn't blame him. She hated all this complicated stuff. Figuring it out was a pain, and even if she did figure it out, it never helped to stop it until things were already dire. Frowning to herself, Serena sat down on the fountain ledge. At least they were potentially able to figure out just why Team Neo had invaded Nova Town beyond a simple search and capture. "Hey…now that I think on it, there used to be a researcher about Mega Evolution and Legendary Origins with how they were connected, living right in this town. Hasn't for ages, but her research might still be at their old house."

"Find it," Diantha said tersely. Rocky appeared to be surprised to be getting such an order from the Champion, but he also seemed a little proud. "Astrid and I will continue to see what we can find about these Gates and the fountain. They may yet be connected somehow. Serena, could you and Rocky please find that research? It may help us to determine just what Team Neo's goal was in inserting this meteorite into the fountain."

"Sure. You can count on us." Diantha apparently considered that good enough, because she turned back to the fountain, feeling the surface of the stone, mumbling something about wishing a Steven or Cynthia were there. Serena just let it go, looking towards Rocky, who shrugged and then walked back towards the Gate of Fire, which led to where Elaine's house was. She stood and followed after him. Once they had left the marketplace, Serena turned to the boy. She was still finding it odd to be working with him so easily. Since he'd let go of his anger, he was a much better conversationalist. Or maybe it was just that she was getting used to being around a boy that wasn't Ash or Clemont. "So, how do you know about this researcher?"

"Who didn't?" Rocky said and he turned. The Performer noticed they were heading down the path to the rather large house she had spotted earlier that morning. In the light of the now setting sun, it appeared like the overgrown front yard was on fire. "Not that I was involved, but she was some bigwig scientist who was really rich. You don't exactly build a house this big in a town this small without everyone knowing. Apparently, she was some kind of heiress so she could while her days researching without even having to produce any real results."

"Must have been popular," Serena remarked. Rocky just shrugged like he had no idea. The pair continued up the garden path, or what would have been a garden path if it wasn't littered with weeds and broken chunks of stone. Even the wooden porch appeared to have seen better days, with paint peeling and pieces of it missing. Like the radio station, vines were growing over the surface of the house, stretching even to the back. That was all before Serena even pushed the door open.

Once she had, a musty smell entered her nose, making it wrinkle in displeasure. She stepped forward regardless, entering into the dim house. Rocky was right behind her, and she heard a faint click, though nothing happened. Once that happened, there was a flash of light and a Probopass appeared, its eyes shining and lighting up the room. Now that there was illumination in the room, Serena had a chance to look around. Dirt was scattered all over the floor and dead plants were laying dried and shriveled in the corners. Rocky walked past her to a pair of glass doors that led to what looked like a backyard. Serena just continued observing. Bookshelves sat in a lonely collection against the walls, and a vestibule that was near them was covered in dust.

"Whoa, this backyard is awesome! There's like three or four battlefields here, of all different kinds!" Rocky exclaimed happily. Serena made no reaction, walking over to the vestibule. Various trinkets of some sort were covering it, including what looked like a rather old photograph. Whoever had lived in this house had clearly left it without taking much. The honey-blonde reached forward and grabbed the photograph, wiping her hand across it to remove the dust. "That's Seamus."

"What?" Serena asked, surprised that Rocky had come up behind her and was staring at the picture with her. His finger moved forward and pointed to the boy on the right side of the photo. Serena squinted, and though it was hard to tell thanks to the bleached quality of the photo, Rocky was undeniably right. Frantically, Serena wiped away the rest of the dust to reveal the remainder of the photo. "That's Elaine…"

"Yeah, and I think that's the researcher and…Travis. Don't know who the other two are, though." Serena continued to stare at the photo, noting a girl in the middle that was holding onto Seamus' and Travis' arms. Leaning down on her was a man with a smiling face and kind eyes. The two women next to the man were very clearly Elaine and this supposed researcher, each locking arms themselves like good friends.

"Come on," Serena said quietly. Rocky didn't argue, but followed her out of the house, neither bothering to close the door behind them. The photo still shaking in her hands with every step, Serena made a very quick power walk down the path and towards Elaine's house. Since it was right down the street, it didn't take very long. She didn't bother with knocking.

"Oh, just in time. Supper's almost ready!" Elaine called at the sight of them. Serena nodded before sitting at the table and slamming the photo down. The action drew Elaine's attention and she looked at it. The ladle she was holding slipped from her hands and onto the floor.

"Where did you get that…?"

"The manor, down the road," Rocky answered honestly. "We were looking for the researcher's old notes." Elaine wiped her hands on an apron and walked around the kitchen island to the table. Serena watched her as she picked up the picture almost reverently.

"You wouldn't find them…Madeline didn't keep any notes," Elaine said softly. Scooting on her seat and swallowing, Serena leaned in.

"Miss Elaine, you knew her?" she asked, though she had a very good idea of the answer.

"Madeline was my best friend," Elaine answered, covering her mouth with her hand. "She always lived in Nova Town, and was very interested in the legends surrounding the Four Gates. When myself and my husband moved here, it was like we were kindred spirits. Together, we were working on cracking the mysteries. She focused on the Pokémon-related aspects while I dealt with the more physical aspects. She never kept any notes, though. Photographic memory and all…took all her notes with her when she died."

"How did she die?" Rocky asked. Serena shot a near glare at Rocky and he noticed how insensitive he was being, because he apologized.

"Don't worry. She fell ill when her daughter was…well, it was about a year after this picture was taken," Elaine answered. "Once she died, the rest of her family left. Seamus was heartbroken, especially since Travis had left before then. Losing Merle…I think that was the last straw for who he was before then."

"Merle…" Serena said, staring at the happy girl in the picture. Was that really the same girl that was so hell-bent on decimating Ash and Seamus during the earlier invasion? "Miss Elaine, can you…can you tell us about Merle and…Dalton?"

Elaine said nothing for a moment, but she placed the photo down silently. In the interim of silence, the sun continued to sink lower, painting Elaine's face in gold. "So, you've figured it out? I had hoped hearing that name was just a blast from the past, or a lie. But I guess not, huh?"

"Wait, you know that freak, Dalton?" Rocky asked, continuing to show off his insensitivity.

"At one point, he was Seamus' teacher. If Madeline and I were friends, then once Seamus became his pupil, we essentially became an extended family. That's why Seamus took it so hard when Merle moved away. Those three were more inseparable than a Dugtrio. When I heard his name on the TV, I didn't believe it. The chances were ludicrous, so I didn't say anything. Plus, it just seemed to bring our family that pain back. I lost my best friend, and I think Seamus felt he lost everything. He really clung to Dalton's teachings after that. If I had made a different choice, then maybe…"

"Miss Elaine," Rocky said sharply, drawing the look of the concerned mother, "you shouldn't blame yourself. It can't have been easy. I don't think we would blame you, either. But…"

"We would like to know about what you and Madeline were researching," Serena finished. Elaine blinked at the request, but finally smiled once again with a nod.

"Of course. Hold on," she said, holding a single finger up as she left the kitchen for her office space. Serena's heartbeat was increasing; they were finally about to get some answers. When Elaine returned, she had a few sheets of paper with diagrams on them, and she laid them out across the table. "This is everything we compiled together, but none of it was confirmable."

"Looks complicated," Rocky said, scratching his head. Even Serena had to admit it looked like nothing more than squiggles and blobs; she'd be surprised if even Clemont could fully figure it out.

"Don't worry, it has a somewhat simple explanation," Elaine assured the both of them. "So, studying the Four Gates for years we learned a few things thanks to exotic samples and research done by some other researchers like Professor Sycamore. First off, the Gate's exterior is made of material from a  _very_  long time ago."

"Three thousand years ago?" Serena asked. Elaine looked at her with an impressed expression.

"Very good. That was our hypothesis. We would have liked to confirm it, but we could never break a piece off for any sort of carbon-dating. However, we were able to confirm that it gave off a certain kind of energy unintentionally: the same kind output when Mega Evolution is used, though only in trace amounts."

"So it's like a giant Mega Stone?" Rocky tried to confirm. To this, Elaine shook her head.

"Not quite. It's dormant energy, but it's there," she answered. At this, Elaine shuffled through the papers like she was looking for a particular one. "Once we had more or less confirmed this hypothesis, Madeline looked into the Pokémon connection. Since we were almost certain it was connected to Mega Evolution, Madeline determined that the Four Gates could probably connect with the Pokémon said to be the father of all Mega Evolution: Rayquaza." Rocky nearly fell off his chair, and even Serena's eyes widened. "What's wrong?"

"It's just…Rayquaza…" Serena gasped out. She didn't really want to articulate the fear that was there. Looking to Rocky, she could see him shaking his head. Elaine looked to catch onto the vibe, because she finally pulled out the diagram she was looking for.

"Madeline, after painstaking research, came up with a theory that we couldn't prove, for obvious reasons," Elaine finally continued. "Rayquaza, as a Pokémon that was capable of Mega Evolution, could connect with the Four Gates if in close enough proximity and if one used a catalyst to summon forth the energy within its body."

"Why?"

"I don't know," was the answer. "But, I did come up with a potential theory of my own with the recent strides into Mega Evolution research. Mega Evolution is an odd kind of evolution wherein the Pokémon can change back and forth, or move backwards and forwards in time. It's my theory that Rayquaza, as the sole Pokémon able to do that on its own, would be able to form some kind of stability to something within the Gates. I don't know how it could get the necessary energy or even how it would  _connect_  the Gates, but it's very possible that Rayquaza's body could be used as a connecting conduit to-"

"Open a portal of some kind…" Serena breathed out. It all made sense in a way now. There were still unanswered questions; too many to count. Yet the biggest question was answered…and it freaked Serena out. "Team Neo is trying to open another dimensional rift. Just like Zinnia."

* * *

"Seems we're outnumbered."

"Yeah, you are," Ash said to Dalton. The man was now standing, an eyebrow quirked towards the cavalry that had arrived. Beneath him, Seamus wasn't moving, though whether he was passed out or just choosing not to do anything, Ash was unsure. "I can't believe you guys found me."

"We owe it to Clemont," Korrina admitted, adjusting her glove. "He's the real genius that put a tracker on her."

"Hmph, sneaky," Merle commented, baring her teeth angrily. At this, Christopher stepped forward, his Skarmory hovering in the air. Ash noticed his face was impassive, but every emotion was dancing in his eyes. He was angry, and all of that anger was directed straight at Travis. Said boy was smirking at Christopher, as if daring him to say something.

"You're a fool," the boy finally spoke. Travis just scoffed at that. "Instead of choosing the higher road, you've stooped to attacking your own friends."

"Friends? You were never my friends," Travis said simply, the wicked little smirk glittering in the fading sun. "You, like everything else in this world, are tools at my disposal. Don't you remember that philosophy?"

"Yeah? You know what I remember?" Christopher said. His voice was raising now, and Ash looked at him in surprise, both at volume and the fact that he was speaking so much. "I remember the first time we fought on our journey. I remember how satisfying it felt to punch your stupid face in for insulting Beth. Well, Travis, now the tables have turned. You've hurt my friends. You've hurt my town. So, I'll send you to hell myself."

"Bold threats for a loser," Travis cackled out. Christopher stepped forward, like he was ready to throttle Travis but Ash reached over and held him back. He was right to, because Beartic quickly stepped in to prevent that from happening. Christopher looked to Ash.

"Leave him to me," he told the other trainer. Christopher remained looking at him, his eyes conflicted, but after a minute, he nodded.

"I'd want to fight you on this, but you're right," he said. Holding his hand out, Ash clasped it. "Take care of him. Make him wish he never chose the other side."

"Yeah."

"Touching, but futile," Dalton said. "To be fair, I admire your willingness to do whatever it takes, but I have an equally strong will."

"Then prove it in battle," Ash said confidently. Pikachu and Greninja leapt in front of him, each looking perfectly ready for a fight. "If I beat you, you give up."

"Not happening. I don't plan to give up."

"Then we'll make you give up!" Korrina claimed loudly, pointing her finger forward towards the Team Neo leader, her keystone shimmering in the dying light. "You stole grandpa's keystone. I want it back."

"By all means, take it," Dalton said calmly. He stepped forward, Medicham bouncing back to his side. Ash took his own step forward and both of his Pokémon flexed for battle. Shooting a look over to Clemont, the raven-haired trainer began to wonder why he hadn't said anything yet. After a few seconds, Clemont cleared his throat.

"Bonnie, new plan," he said, adjusting his glasses with his own little smirk. From behind them, Bonnie perked up immensely. "Go with Bethany and Christopher…and take down this airship. We won't let it get to its destination."

"Yes, sir!" Bonnie said proudly. "Let's go. Dedenne, Squishy, help us out!"

"We'll watch over her, Clemont," Bethany said confidently. Ash watched the turquoise-haired pound her chest. Seeing that, Ash knew he'd have to help out with every other effort. He grabbed Hawlucha's pokeball and tossed it towards them, the Wrestling Pokémon emerging.

"Hawlucha, help them out."

"Lucha!"

"Now, let's have a real battle," Clemont said, turning back to the three foes before them. From behind, Bonnie, the other two trainers and Hawlucha each backed up, heading for the ladder that Ash had climbed up earlier. Balling his fists, Ash put one foot forward, like he was blocking anyone from getting to them. Dalton sighed with what was either exhaustion or annoyance. He raised his hand to his right breast pocket and pulled out a small device that he held up to his ear and mouth, his hand covering most of it.

"Attention, all Team Neo members," he called into it, and it even sounded like his voice was echoing up from the ladder. "Our airship is under attack. Please, evacuate to the main hangar and escape. Alpha and Beta Squads, commence the final operation. I will join you shortly." Once he'd finished his announcement, Dalton pocketed the device once more and looked at the three trainers remaining, all of them ready for a fight. "Now we can fight."

"Ketchum's mine!" Merle roared and she ran straight for Ash. Dalton sighed once more at the attack.

"Just be careful. No use in having your body damaged," he seemed to remind her. Merle just smirked as she ran.

"All right then, Greninja, use Cut!" Ash roared, throwing his fist into the air. Greninja sprung forward, two blades appearing in his hands. Merle punched upward and Greninja blocked the attack with one of the blades, and then the other as her next fist aimed for his stomach. Greninja strained a moment before whipping his blades outward and forcing her back. It was rather surprising that the girl was so easily able to take it, though Ash should have expected it, given her skill and her ability to stop Emboar just yesterday. "Keep going!"

"Ha, she's not the only one you'll be having problems with! Beartic, Aqua Jet!" Travis yelled gleefully. Ash turned his head a few degrees, trying to keep his attention on both of the battles. Beartic's body was surrounded by a veil of rushing water and it sailed forward through the air aiming right for Ash.

"That won't work! Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Pikachu dashed forward, his tail glowing bright white. At the last second, he leapt into the air.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, slamming into the oncoming torrent of water. His teeth ground against each other as the two attacks collided, but unfortunately, the larger of the two won out. Aqua Jet slammed into Pikachu, breaking his Iron Tail and sending him flying backwards. Pikachu rolled in the air and managed to land on all fours, skidding back slightly. Once he'd righted himself, Pikachu dashed forward again, ready to continue engaging Beartic.

"Looks like it's our turn to join the fun, Clemont! Lucario, Metal Sound!" Korrina exclaimed. Ash smiled a little; he was glad to see that Korrina was just the same as she always was, and that she was very much on their side.

"Lu!" Lucario growled out, holding both of its palms forward and sending out the yellow ring that was Metal Sound, aiming right towards Medicham. Dalton raised an eyebrow in interest.

"An interesting strategy to start off with, but meaningless against battle-weathered warriors like ourselves," he said. Instead of Medicham taking or avoiding the attack, Dalton strode forward and thrust his fist outward, managing to break apart the Metal Sound on his own.

"Yeah, well, that's not our only technique! Clemont, your turn!" Korrina said, grinning wildly at Clemont. The inventor smiled back with steel-faced determination.

"Electric Terrain!" Luxray seemed to practically howl and electricity and steam burst out over the top of the airship. In the distance, Ash noticed that part of the airship, a tower specifically, seemed to shudder with the extra electricity added to it. Alongside that, an aircraft was taking off, streaking towards whatever their next destination was. They needed to finish the fight quickly. "Now we can fight on a better playing field!"

"Thanks for the help, Clemont and Korrina. Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Pikachu screamed out and sent a bolt of raging thunder right for Beartic, who could do nothing but cross its arms to defend itself. Greninja, meanwhile, was still in a duel of whirling blades and fists with Merle, neither able to gain an inch.

"Lucario, use Bone Rush!" Korrina commanded. Lucario held its hands out, summoning the bone between them and splitting it in two as it rushed towards Medicham. Neither Dalton nor his Pokémon moved once.

"Bullet Punch," he finally ordered when Lucario was in striking range. Medicham's hands glowed blue and just as Lucario swung outward, Medicham struck forward, knocking the attack away. Its hand movements didn't stop and Lucario was all too quickly forced on the defensive. The Aura Pokémon ducked the next punch before swinging upwards, barely missing Medicham as it bent its body back. Then the Bullet Punch aimed right for Lucario's face, only to be blocked by another Bone Rush that locked them both in. Lucario grunted and swung its remaining bone at Medicham's side, only for that to be blocked as well.

"Luxray, use Swift!" Clemont yelled. Luxray pounced, sending the stars from his tail to collide with Medicham. The attack made the Meditation Pokémon lose its focus, allowing Lucario a clean hit. At this moment, Pikachu's Thunderbolt ceased and Beartic began running for him.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball!" Pikachu hopped back, charging the orb of crackling electricity at his tail before jumping and flinging it at his opponent. The attack sailed forward, but never made impact as Beartic's claws glowed and used Slash straight through the move. The Freezing Pokémon continued charging at Pikachu.

"Greninja, break off and use Aerial Ace on Beartic!" Ash yelled, hoping to get his other Pokémon's attention. Greninja gave a very small nod to indicate he'd heard, and he dismissed his blades. At this, Merle punched at him, only for Greninja to kick upward with an Aerial Ace. The girl was forced to backpedal from that and Greninja leapt away, speeding right for Beartic.

"Dodge it!" Travis roared. Beartic didn't have the time; Greninja was moving too fast for it and pummeled it with its glowing fists before whipping his legs around and nailing the bear in the stomach. "Grgh, counter with Ice Punch!"

"Bear!" Beartic roared, rearing back with its fist surrounded by ice crystals. Then he launched his fist forward and hit Greninja squarely on the head, causing the Water type to fly back. At the same moment, Merle once more began her charge.

"Quick, Greninja, use Double Team and Water Shuriken for cover," Ash ordered. Greninja clasped its hands together and its copies suddenly sprouted up all over the area, even in the air. As some of the copies touched the roof, Ash felt the airship shudder. Another aircraft was taking off and a small trail of smoke was seen from where Ash thought the bridge was located. Bonnie was clearly doing her job, made all the more noticeable by a spire of earth suddenly erupting from the area. Squishy was obviously helping her to wreck house. Greninja was now tossing the Water Shuriken forward. Both of his opponents were slashing wildly in front of their face to clear the attacks away, and Merle was already pouncing on the nearest Greninja copy. "Use Cut! Pikachu, let's go!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu cried out and his body glowed white as he dashed through the Greninja copies, weaving as though it were a maze until his Quick Attack slammed into Beartic. Greninja summoned countless blades to all his copies and they all leapt for both Beartic and Merle. However, Merle was able to make a roundhouse kick that banished some of the copies. Only, Greninja's true target was Beartic and he slammed into the Ice type with the slicing attack. Beartic howled in pain. With his opponents both distracted, Ash allowed himself a chance to see how Korrina and Clemont's battle was going.

"Use Zen Headbutt," Dalton said calmly. Medicham closed its eyes momentarily and then began sprinting forward. The top of its head glowed a bright blue, before soon encompassing Medicham's entire top half.

"Counter it with Power-Up Punch!" Korrina said. She looked over to Clemont as she commanded the attack, and Ash saw the boy nod. It was like they were on some secret wavelength in that moment where each knew what the other should do. Lucario's fist glowed orange and as Medicham approached, Lucario blitzed forward, his fist colliding with Medicham's skull. The two attacks colliding resulted in a release of energy that sent wind cascading over the entire group. Even Dalton, who was largely unfazed, looked slightly impressed.

"Gravity." Medicham's eyes flashed and Ash watched as Lucario suddenly dropped to a knee. The Zen Headbutt made it through, connecting with Lucario's jaw and driving him backwards.

"Luxray, stop it with Thunder Fang!" At Clemont's command, Luxray dashed forward, the sharp fangs of electricity emerging near his gaping maw. In the midst of Medicham's distraction, Luxray collided and chomped down on it. With that sole attack, the Gravity effect faded and Lucario made an orange-glowing uppercut that sent Medicham backwards, its body sparking with electricity. "Now, Korrina!"

"Right! Lucario, let's do it! Mega Evolve!" Korrina yelled, throwing her hand out and touching her fingers to her keystone. Bright light eclipsed Lucario, and almost looked like it was sucking wind in until the bright light broke apart to the sight of Mega Lucario. Dalton clapped happily.

"Very good! You've really impressed me!" he said. "I didn't expect a child to have a Mega Stone, much less have mastered Mega Evolution. And to paralyze my Medicham. I never could have seen such brilliant work from children at all. But now our playtime is over, and I don't want any more children involved in this charade."

"Father!" Merle snapped. Dalton looked over, a sad smile on his face as he looked at the defiant look on his daughter's face.

"Your role is done right here. Take Seamus to the Mark Omega. I'll join you shortly," Dalton told her. Merle didn't seem happy about it, not from the way she was glaring, but she backed up nonetheless to grab ahold of Seamus, who was still unresponsive. "I'll join you once I've prevented these children from being more involved."

"Yes, father," Merle said before running away. Ash ran forward.

"Oh, you're not going anywhere, Ketchum!" Travis roared. Beartic shot forward, surrounded by the water veil of Aqua Jet. Ash jumped backward.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt! Greninja, Cut!" Ash yelled as he did so. Both of his Pokémon sprang into action. Pikachu's cheeks charged up and sent a raging Thunderbolt at the charging Pokémon. It struck, affecting Beartic to the point that its attack slowed enough for Greninja to charge in and slash upward on the Freezing Pokémon's head.

"Lucario, use Aura Sphere!" Korrina called energetically. Lucario threw its arms back, summoning a larger than normal Aura Sphere, pulsing with blue light, to his hands before tossing it at the retreating Merle. However, even with Medicham's paralysis, it was still able to punch forward, breaking apart the Aura Sphere. The attack appeared to do more harm than good for it, though, and Medicham was forced backwards.

"Beartic, Slash. Then use Icicle Crash on that worthless Pikachu!" Travis spat, to the point that Ash could even see the saliva flying from his mouth. Beartic growled loudly and swiped at Greninja with its claws, throwing him backwards. Of course, Greninja still had all the dexterity he could muster and was able to land upright. Beartic reared back and unleased a roar of icy wind into the air. The air rapidly became solid, forming into large icicles that were practically hanging overhead. Pikachu noticed them and began to run away from it just as the icicles began to drop.

"Ninja!" Greninja cried, dashing forward. Ash guessed that Greninja's will to rescue Pikachu must have been strong, because even without them synching up, the Ninja Pokémon practically vanished from sight, only to briefly appear as he grabbed Pikachu and dashed away straight towards Beartic.

"Now, Aerial Ace and Electro Ball!" Pikachu leapt out of Greninja's arms, flinging the powerful Electro Ball at Beartic just as Greninja dashed in and pummeled Beartic's chest with a flurry of glowing punches and kicks before flipping back. Beartic sunk to one knee, heaving with exertion. It didn't look like the Freezing Pokémon would be mounting a counter-offensive anytime soon, so Ash turned his attentions back to Medicham.

"Let's finish this, Lucario!" Korrina said loudly. "Use Bone Rush!"

"Intercept." Medicham's fists glowed blue as Lucario rushed forward, swinging both of its bones down. All Medicham was able to do in its paralyzed state was blocking, but its Bullet Punch managed to stop the Bone Rush from reaching its main body. Ash quickly saw his chance.

"Greninja, get in there with Cut!"

"Luxray, use Wild Charge!" Both Greninja and Luxray acted immediately on their trainers' orders. With Medicham pinned down by Bone Rush, both Pokémon easily closed the gap in a pincer style. Greninja sliced against one side of Medicham while Luxray slammed into the other, causing the Pokémon to cry out. It was time to end this.

"Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Pikachu bolted towards the gridlock of the four Pokémon, right between Medicham's legs before slicing upward with Iron Tail. From that, Medicham finally flew backwards, exhausted but still standing. Ash looked at Dalton, almost challenging him to make his next move.

"Are you all right, Medicham?" Medicham nodded, though the nodding was slow. "Good. Gravity. Send the airship down."

"What? !" Clemont yelled. Ash would have yelled it, too, but Medicham was already holding its hands together. A great weight seemed to settle on Ash's back…no, on the entire airship, and he felt it tilt. Metal buckled and towers crumpled under the powerful attack. Another explosion sounded off and the airship began to tilt on its side. Whether by Medicham or by Bonnie and the others, this airship was going down.

"I have no more need of this transport," Dalton answered. "But mostly, I don't want you to come after me. Children have no right to get involved."

"Yeah, then what about your daughter?" Ash yelled. "And Seamus? And Travis?"

"They've made a choice."

"Well…" Ash groaned out as his knees slammed to the airship roof. "So have I. I'm going to fight you!"

"I know," Dalton said. What surprised Ash, though, was how sad he sounded when he said it. "You will continue to fight me. I knew that the moment I saw you through the cameras in the radio station. That was when I knew I had to get you out of harm's way. Out of my way, for your own sake. I don't want to see any more pain on a child's face."

"Tau…he said…something similar…" Clemont grunted out, though his face was already slammed down. Dalton gave no reply. He just snapped his fingers at Travis and the redhead scowled. Still, he recalled his Beartic and sent out another pokeball with a Salamence. Both he and Dalton then hopped on and took flight towards the back end of the massive, and plummeting, airship. Ash strained to lift his neck, noticing that Medicham was gone, but the Gravity effect was still active. Another explosion went off behind them, and seconds later the Gravity released. Ironically, it almost made Ash collapse, but he was able to turn just in time to see an airship almost half the size of the one they were on go streaking in the direction they had been heading. Ash could swear he'd seen Dalton atop it.

At this moment, the airship lurched, sending everyone but Greninja cascading towards one of its edges. The Ninja Pokémon reacted quickly, its webbed feet anchoring itself on the surface, his tongue flew out and wrapped around all three of the trainers and Pikachu while Clemont recalled his Pokémon. Lucario seemed to remedy his own fall by planting his claws into the surface to hold on.

"Wow, that's handy," Korrina commented. Now, the airship was tilting back as another small explosion went off. Greninja released his tongue and Ash ran towards the edge they had been about to slip off. Just like before, the line of trees was dangerously close to the bottom of the airship.

"Bonnie!" Clemont yelled, his worry for his sister taking over all of his features. Ash's eyes widened; he had forgotten that Bonnie was in charge of taking down the ship. Even though he'd sent Hawlucha with her in order to protect her, he still couldn't help but worry alongside the inventor.

"Don't worry, Clemont," Korrina said seriously, clapping an arm on his shoulder. "Lucario, use your aura to try and find Bonnie."

"Lu," Lucario grunted, closing his eyes as he began to scan the area. The airship continued to go lower and Ash's eyes skimmed the approaching horizon of trees. It would be a tight fit, but he finally had a plan to get them out of there, hopefully, safely. Lucario grunted again, indicating that he had found their target, pointing towards an area just shy of where numerous explosions were going off.

"She'll be fine, Clemont. Besides, Christopher and Bethany are looking after her. Noivern, Talonflame, I choose you!" Ash yelled out over the loud explosions and harrowing wind. From within their pokeballs, his two faithful Pokémon emerged. "All right, Greninja, grab Pikachu and get down to ground level. Noivern, I need you to take Clemont and Korrina. Talonflame, it's you and me, okay?"

"Talon!" Talonflame cried out, fluttering down a little to allow Ash to take a hold of him. At the same moment, Pikachu was hopping up towards Greninja, with both sharing a look with their trainer. Ash smiled and Greninja bounded off. Meanwhile, Clemont was allowing Noivern to take hold of both him and Korrina, who he appeared to be holding onto to preserve body weight. Ash could almost see both of their faces tinged red, but with the way the airship was plummeting, he wasn't about to waste time trying to figure out what it all meant. "Flaaaaaaame!"

With Talonflame's cry, the two fliers took to the air with a majestic spreading of their wings. Korrina quickly called Lucario back as Noivern shot off. Ash turned his body to look at the falling airship. It seemed like it was beginning to burn just a little on the bottom, with its front end now tipping downward, slamming through a line of trees. Those trees began to slam into other trees that were falling towards them. They needed to get out of the way before they met the same fate as the local foliage.

"Noivern, use your soundwaves to find us a safe path through the falling trees, and Talonflame, follow Noivern's lead," Ash commanded, gripping a little tighter. Noivern took the lead, zipping quickly through the crashing trees. Talonflame, moving slightly slower, followed after his teammate. Clemont appeared to be screaming from fear, and Ash could only imagine the tears streaming down his face.

A sudden crashing sound, different from the trees being knocked aside, was heard. At this, Ash turned and watched as all of a sudden, a part of the airship suddenly came flying out into the forest and a Tyrantrum emerged from inside. Hanging from the Tyrantrum were Christopher, Bethany and Bonnie (who was acting the complete opposite of her brother). Hawlucha was atop the Tyrantrum's head as it made a mighty roar and leapt from the still descending airship.

"Vern!" Noivern screeched out, indicating that he thought they were clear of the airship and the damage it was leaving in its wake.

"All right, touch us down!" Ash called and both of them began to descend, aiming right for Tyrantrum who landed on the ground with a mighty shudder. Although, Ash realized after he landed, that kind of shudder was next to nothing compared to what followed.

The airship finally broke apart into two pieces, slamming into the forest floor. A plume of dust emerged and the shaking was so prevalent that Ash was nearly knocked off his feet, forced to lean on a tree for support. Clemont just held onto Korrina, who actually sounded like she was chuckling nervously. Noivern and Talonflame rose a little in the air to avoid the quaking while the others held desperately onto Tyrantrum. Scores of Pokémon fled from the area as the shuddering continued. Ash shifted so that his back was against the tree and he waited there until, after a few minutes, the shaking finally stopped, indicating that the airship had finally stopped its destructive descent.

It was just a shame that Team Neo hadn't quite been taken down along with it.

"Are we alive…?" groaned Bethany's voice from the top of Tyrantrum.

"Never…never again…" Clemont was crying out. Ash stepped away from the tree as Greninja landed in front of him. Looking past his Pokémon, Ash could officially confirm that Clemont was crying tears while Korrina had slung an arm around him, attempting to encourage him. "That was the scariest thing I think I've ever done…I don't know how you do it, Ash."

"Heh, well, it's not like I ever  _plan_  to do it," Ash pointed out. He briefly caught sight of Bonnie running over to meet up with her brother before he suddenly felt Hawlucha tackle him.

"Lucha! Haw Lucha Lucha Lucha ha!" the Wrestling Pokémon exclaimed, hugging him tightly. Ash couldn't help but laugh at that one.

"It's good to see you, too, Hawlucha. And all of you!" Ash exclaimed. His Pokémon seemed to take that as an invitation to join in on the group hug that sent Ash right back against the tree. He couldn't help but laugh. It had only been a day, but he was really happy to be back with his Pokémon again. Pikachu seemed to squeeze himself between all of them to leap into Ash's lap. "Pikachu, I thought you were with Serena. Where is she?"

"Pipika…" Pikachu said, seeming just a little embarrassed. Ash looked at him curiously, but his answer didn't come from his best buddy.

"She went to Snowbelle with Rocky and the Champion," came Bethany's response. Ash's Pokémon all drew back, allowing the raven-haired trainer a better look at the girl. Behind her, Christopher had called back his Tyrantrum. The forest was almost completely doused in darkness now.

"So…is she…?" Ash felt his insides clench. Was she okay? He felt like he'd failed, not being there to protect her for the last twenty-four hours.

"Ash, I'm sure she's fine," Bethany answered sternly. "But she's worried about you, too, you know."

"She…she is?" Ash asked, blinking as he did so.

"Ugh, boys are so stubborn. Of course she is. You throw yourself into one reckless situation after another without a thought or care for her feelings. Instead of pussyfooting around the issue just-"

"Leave it, Beth," Christopher finally said as he joined them. "I think he gets enough to be getting on with it himself." That was certainly true, Ash realized, even if now wasn't the time to be able to do anything about it. Now was the time to focus on the bigger issues.

"We have to get to Nova Town," Clemont finally explained, his voice carrying across the forest. "I think that's where they were heading, though I don't know why."

"Well, whatever it is, they're planning on using Grandpa's keystone and the Scroll of Secrets to make it happen!" Korrina said with her hands on her hips. "As the Shalour City Gym Leader, it's my duty to stop those guys."

"Well said, roller skate twerpette." Ash turned to the source of the voice, and he actually smiled at the sight of Team Rocket hobbling through the woods. They actually didn't look too bad, other than Jessie's hair being disheveled and the cuts all over.

"You're okay!" he exclaimed. James coughed out a little.

"And how…Wobbuffet makes a wonderful cushion…" James said. "Well, twerp…we helped you before…"

"And you failed. Those Team Neo creeps are still causing people problems…I mean, in our way," Jessie snapped. An air of tense silence surrounded the area of the forest they were in, no one saying a word. Ash could see the others reaching for their pokeballs while Bonnie held Dedenne out like a shield. His Pokémon were also tensing, but Ash just stepped forward, holding his hand out silently.

"Then let's do it together. No more sacrifices."

The response was nonverbal. One by one, everyone in the area moved towards Ash. First was Bonnie, leaping up to place her hand in the center, beaming up at him. Clemont and Korrina quickly joined in, followed by Bethany and Christopher. All that left was Team Rocket, staring at him like he'd officially lost his brain. For a moment, Ash thought they'd just scoff and turn away, until Meowth tossed his hand in.

"Aw, what de heck, twoip," he said snarkily. "Dere ain't much difference between us right now. Guess we can stomach workin' together to take down someone who stands in both of our ways."

"Good idea, Meowth, well played," James responded, joining the feline in placing his hand in. Jessie seemed to be the only hold out until she shrugged her shoulders and put her hand in.

"Looks like we're a team, twerp." Ash smiled at her and he proceeded to lift all their hands into the air before closing his in a fist. During the Kalos Team Tournament, it had been their sign of victory; now it was a sign of resolve. Ash turned around and grabbed the brim of his hat, adjusting it a little before making sure his jacket was properly zipped. The forest was now completely eclipsed in darkness, night having fallen.

The final battle was about to begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I'll admit to not being entirely happy with the ending. No matter how many ways I could think of it, I just couldn't get the flow for Team Rocket's reappearance. And they need to be there, too…It's not like I can just cut them out. Plus, it needed to happen in this chapter. Anyway…this chapter had a lot of hard hitting moments. The full extent of Team Neo's invasion of Nova Town back in Chapter 4 is now made clear: they did something to the fountain. Meanwhile, we also know more about Madeline, wife of Dalton and mother of Merle, as well as her connection to Seamus and his mother. Most importantly, though, is that Dalton's plan is almost fully revealed: open a dimensional rift with our old friend Rayquaza. But for what purpose remains to be seen.
> 
> Anyway, this was still a tricky chapter thanks to the fact that the front half of it was very information and dialogue focused. Granted, I loved writing it, but to then have to shift gears to the epic battle being waged on the airship…it was a brutal shift. I hope that the fight and the way it transitioned all over the place was enjoyable.
> 
> As we begin to head in towards the climax (what, already? !) I really love your thoughts and guesses. No worries, things will be elucidated soon. In the meantime, please remember to Review, and Dare to Be Silly.


	12. A Harbinger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to quickly clear up a misconception I've created…two, perhaps. 1) Apparently, a lot of you think we're heading for an ending. We are…but it's just the climax. This story still has quite a bit to go. 2) I've now come to appreciate XYZ 32, understanding what they were doing with it, and it's quite good. Enough talk! Chapter 12, begin!

Chapter 12

A Harbinger

"Okay, so let me get this straight," Rocky gasped as Serena suddenly bolted out of her chair and dashed for the exit from the house. At the moment, she wasn't in the completely right state of listening, but she still decided to keep an ear open towards him. "Dalton, whoever he is, is planning on using the properties of the keystones and Rayquaza because of some connection to Mega Evolution in order to open some sort of dimensional rift or other."

"A condensed version, but yeah," Serena answered, skidding to a stop on the street. She quickly turned and began to pelt down the street towards the marketplace and watched the dying embers of sunlight illuminate her path.

"Wait…they want to bring Rayquaza  _here_?" he asked, and Serena could swear that she heard a slight quiver pass through his voice. She couldn't blame him; even hearing the name of the Pokémon Rayquaza was enough to make her own feet rattle. She hadn't even faced the beast back in Ancien City, but the stories from Clemont, Bonnie and the others were enough to let her know it was something to be feared. "That's insane!"

"This whole situation is insane," Serena commented. Rocky appeared to nod in agreement with this statement. "Yesterday, we were just paying a visit to the town, oblivious to anything else. Now we're dealing with crazy people who want to summon Rayquaza to open rifts and do who knows what with it. I mean, I'm just a Performer…I never thought I'd be involved in stuff like this!"

Yet here she was, running towards Nova Town's marketplace to tell the Champion, of all people, of what she had found during their little venture into town.  _No…_ Serena realized to herself as she ran,  _I'm not just a Performer anymore. I haven't been since the Ancien Debacle._  It was a hard truth to accept, in its own way, but she also knew that it was one that she would have to if she had any hope of surviving whatever was about to happen. But she would, because she had. Her only prayer now was for Ash's well-being, wherever he was.

Rocky didn't seem able to say much of anything, focused entirely on keeping pace with her as she ran under the Gate into the marketplace. Lights were flickering on around the city, shining brightly under the new veil of nighttime. People seemed ready to go to sleep inside their homes, but Serena had too much adrenaline running through her to even contemplate going to sleep.

She also had a very distinct feeling that those very same people would be back out of their beds all too soon.

"Diantha!" Serena yelled, forgetting to address the Champion with any of her titles. It certainly spoke to the urgency of the situation, as the woman turned to her, her face only illuminated by the streetlamps.

"Did you find anything?" she asked tersely. Serena finally pulled up to a stop from her running and took a moment to catch her breath. Diantha waited patiently, and in that time, Astrid had approached from one of the other Gates in the area to listen in.

"Y-yes," Serena finally managed to gasp out. "Dalton…he plans to use the keystones to open a dimensional rift."

"What?" The Champion's question was so flat, Serena had wondered for a second whether it had actually been a statement. Astrid looked alarmed as well.

"How is that possible?" she asked. Serena shook her head, her hair moving with it.

"I'm not sure, and it's just a hypothesis that Elaine made. We can't really confirm it," she said, swallowing down the lump in her throat. Diantha's lips pursed, either in displeasure or worry, and she stepped forward to put a hand on Serena's shoulder kindly.

"Tell me everything," the Champion commanded. "And I mean  _everything_. About this theory, about whatever you learned, and about the Ancien Debacle. Even the details that weren't privy to the media or the League."

"That's a heck of a long story," Rocky said darkly, "and I don't know about you, but I'm not entirely sure that we have the time to tell it."

"That doesn't matter. Time or no time is irrelevant," Diantha assured the both of them. Around them, the marketplace was bathed in a faint green glow. Now that she wasn't freaking out over the reminiscent glow of the Gates, she was able to easily notice that it wasn't quite as strong as the meteorites in Ancien City. It was the easiest explanation for why Dalton was doing things differently, she supposed. If that was what he was doing. "I need to know what happened in Ancien, or I can't figure out what's going on here. Can you do this for me, Serena? Rocky?"

"Of course," Serena answered without hesitation. Inside, she felt like she'd be sharing a memory etched deeply within her soul from that battle, but she also knew that the longer she held it in, the less likely they'd be able to figure everything out. "It all started about three years ago, I think. A rift opened up, leaving behind a girl named Zinnia and her friends. They were from another world, or a parallel universe…something like that. But they…they had lost their friend before they came through. Being left behind in this world, they decided that they wanted to try and bring her back."

"Like necromancy?" Astrid asked, a look of revulsion on her face.

"If only," Rocky scoffed out. "I'd have rather dealt with an army of zombie corpses than what happened."

"When the Kalos Team Tournament concluded, they attacked us," Serena continued, hoping to stick straight to the facts. "It took us a while to piece everything together, but eventually we did. The meteorites in the town absorbed energy from the moon, almost like a reverse sundial. In particular, it was at its strongest with a New Moon, and the Draco constellation in the sky. The Draconids, that's what they called themselves, they planned the whole attack because of those factors. They wanted to harness that kind of energy and open a dimensional rift."

"Wasn't enough," Rocky spat. "They attacked the city too, all to draw out Rayquaza, or so I was told. Rayquaza was drawn to destruction or something…well, that and the meteorites I think. I was never the brainiac type."

"Just keep going," Diantha said kindly, but sternly.

"Right, so they wanted to use the meteorites in Rayquaza's body to open the pocket dimension, by having the Ancien Meteorites absorb it," Serena concluded. "We only managed to stop it from happening because…because of Rayquaza itself and slamming a Mega Salamence into the other meteorite."

"Then it all makes sense, now," Diantha stated. Serena's brow furrowed. Diantha had actually figured something out from all of that? Even as someone who was directly involved with it, Serena still couldn't fully understand just what had happened that night with the meteorites and Rayquaza and strange dimensional mumbo jumbo.

"Wait, you understood all that?" Rocky asked. Astrid was flicking her eyes between all of them with a frown; clearly she was having just as much of a struggle to figure it out as everyone but the Champion.

"Enough to know what's going on, I think," Diantha responded, striding towards the fountain and placing a hand upon it. "Rayquaza is, in some circles, said to be the father of Mega Evolution, the very source of it. Assuming that it is also connected to these meteorites, and that the Gates and this fountain are of the same material…it therefore makes sense that Team Neo is collecting keystones."

"Of course," Astrid said, folding her arms a little. "The keystone serves as a stabilizer between trainer and Pokémon in Mega Evolution. It would make sense for the Gates to act as the Mega Stone and the keystones to be…well, the keystone."

"Miss Elaine did say that she thought there were faint traces of Mega Evolution energy coming off of the stones that made up the Gates," Serena pointed out. She continued to watch as Diantha traced her hand over the surface of the fountain.

"Those are my thoughts exactly, but I'd assume there's a little more to it," the Champion resumed. "You say that Team Neo is trying to open up a dimensional rift, but without a New Moon or the Draco constellation, that would require numerous bloody sacrifices, right? More than Nova Town can certainly offer. It would seem he's using a very different method by linking the Gates to the fountain with a shard of meteorite to resonate with it. He'd then likely use the keystones to send forth a burst of energy that would call Rayquaza to this spot. If, as you say, Rayquaza lost its meteorites, it will likely try to refill itself on that energy, falling right into the trap. They'll then use its body as a conduit, combined with the keystones, to officially combine the Gates to open the portal."

Her explanation finished, the Champion turned towards the three younger trainers, all of whom were staring at her blankly. Serena's brain was certainly working furiously to try and catch up to what she was saying. Instead of speaking something intelligent, however, she just let words tumble from her mouth. "How do you know all of this?"

"I've studied…extensively," Diantha admitted with a smile. "In particular, my focus has been very involved on the past and its connection to legendary Pokémon in the Kalos region."

"You have a theory, then?" Astrid asked. At this, Diantha nodded, finally turning to face them all with a very serious look on her face.

"I'm sure that, by now, you know enough about the war in the region three thousand years ago, yes?" Serena nodded, as did Rocky. She couldn't discern Astrid's own reaction but figured that the blonde trainer would be able to keep up with them anyway. "It was a bloody brutal war of kingdom against kingdom; Pokémon against Pokémon; clan against clan. It is my belief that Nova Town, where we now stand, was the site of one of those bloody battles of history. Four clans, all converging on the same spot, or so it is said."

"That must have been way before the town, right?" Rocky asked, scratching his head as he tried to get a grasp on what was going on. Serena just remained enraptured by Diantha's tale, hoping to keep up until she got to the root of the issue.

"Well before. At the time it was nothing but barren land. Even the forests and the lake over there didn't exist," Diantha informed him. "According to historians, it was the perfect place for a battle to be waged. That battle was eventually noted down as 'The Endless Battle'."

"Sounds imposing."

"This enters more into the realm of conjecture, but after my own studies, I came to believe that it was called such because of a legendary Pokémon that was enslaved by one of the clans." Diantha began to pace back and forth, revealing some of her pent up agitation. "It caused a single day to be repeated over and over again, with each and every repeated day having the clan in possession of that Pokémon coming closer and closer to victory."

"Which Pokémon was it?" Serena finally asked. Diantha turned her head with a worried expression, actually looking rather fettered for the first time in this whole ordeal.

"I believe it was the Time Travel Pokémon, Celebi, forced to do a human's bidding."

"That makes sense…" Rocky pointed out. "I mean, even we who live here only know a few of the local legends, but I do think that Seamus' mom looked into all that old clan stuff, something about their descendants being the founders of the town or something?"

"Then she's a very astute woman. Researchers of Kalos history have more or less deduced that following the war, various clans formed towns, some of which became the large cities like Lumiose that we know today," Diantha continued. "I can't say much for the detail of Nova Town's formation, but I can say this: following an endless cycle of repeated days, the three remaining clans banded together in order to put a stop to it."

"How?" The question that Astrid asked was easily on all their minds, each of them clearly figuring that if they knew just what had happened in the past, they would be able to stop Team Neo in the present. Diantha didn't answer right away, walking past Serena and Rocky to the Gate they had just passed under, and placing a hand upon it.

"Using these."

"But…I thought you said it was just a barren wasteland. So, the Gates were around even back then?" Rocky asked. To this, Diantha shook her head, and peering through the green glow, Serena could see an almost disturbed look upon her face.

"No, the clans  _made_  the Gates…using the meteorites you've been talking about…and Pokémon." Serena's eyes widened, and she felt her stomach drop, a sick feeling permeating her entire body. "If, as has been suggested, the Gates give off Mega Evolution, then it could stand to reason that these clans used Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution and entombed them in these meteorites as an absorption of that energy, the two eventually assimilating."

"To what purpose? !" Astrid demanded. She, too, sounded horrified by the circumstances.

"My guess? They erected the Four Gates as a containment system. If the meteorites were capable of containing energy, then it would be possible for it to contain temporal energy as well. They likely built the base of the fountain as a stabilizer to draw Celebi's energies out of it and into the Gates they had built. History is unclear on whether or not Celebi managed to get free from these actions but…regardless of that, the meteorites over time must have absorbed both that temporal energy and the Mega Evolution energy from the Pokémon entombed."

"That's so horrible…" Serena gasped out, no longer able to contain her feelings on the subject. She couldn't believe that people would use Pokémon in such a way, even if it was wartime. Entombing them, siphoning energy into stones…it all screamed of something horrible. Though looking at it now, the Gates were hardly Pokémon anymore: just husks of their former selves. And that was what confused Serena most of all. "Wait, if they just held energy that's one thing, but how could Team Neo then use that energy via keystones?"

"Because of the Ultimate Weapon that was fired on the Kalos region shortly after these events in history." Now it made more sense. That same weapon had been mentioned back in Ancien, leading to the rift that opened up with the meteorite and sucked the Draconids into the other dimension. Everything was tying together, and Serena had to think through it to make sure she understood everything correctly.

"Okay…okay…so, the Ultimate Weapon fired and did to the Gates what it did to Ancien's meteorites. But if Team Neo wants to use the temporal energy by opening up a rift…"

"I can only guess it can happen in one of two ways," Diantha began to explain once more. "The first option, he links all of the Gates up into a massive conglomerate of energy to open the rift. The second, would be to have the Gates crumble entirely, releasing their energy into a space that they draw it to. Again, though, I'm no scientist and it's all conjecture, and I can't imagine how it would be very stable."

That was fine with Serena. She was clearly no expert either, but she trusted in Diantha's own assumptions over anyone else's. The honey blonde quickly mulled over all the points in her head. Three thousand years ago, the three clans had built the Four Gates as a containment field using meteorites and Pokémon as a sacrifice to trap the temporal energy that was making them repeat the day over and over. These meteorites also absorbed Mega Evolution energy. Now, Team Neo was using a meteorite in the fountain as a way to connect all of the Gates, and the keystones would be the trigger for that to occur. That energy outputted would attract Rayquaza, and using the latent energy in its body from its previous state of Mega Evolution it would then rip the dimensional rift wide open. Only…it wouldn't be a dimensional rift…it would be a temporal rift. It would be…

"A time portal," Serena concluded. "They want to 'turn back the clock'."

"They want to go back in time? !" Rocky asked with a look of dismay upon his face. "Why?"

"I don't know, but it all makes sense now. Dalton, the leader of Team Neo was talking about turning back the clock on the League. Travis said he'd make it that his loss in the Kalos Team Tournament never happened. It all leads back to creating a time portal to do whatever they plan to do for whatever reason."

"Great, so we know what they're up to. Now how do we stop them?" Astrid said. "I don't like the idea of my keystone being used for something so stupid."

"Nor do I," Diantha concurred, "but at this moment, I'm not entirely sure how to stop it from happening. There're too little details on how the whole system works to make any kind of accurate judgement."

"None of that matters right now," Serena stated, drawing the two older trainers' attentions straight to her. She looked up at each of them with the same kind of steel-faced determination she always saw Ash with. He wasn't here right now, so it was up to her to see this through. Lack of information wasn't going to stop that. "Right now, all that matters is stopping Team Neo. They must be heading back here, so we stop them before they can engage in whatever they're engaging in."

"I'm with Serena," Rocky stated. "No more time trying to figure stuff out. Time to fight."

Diantha opened her mouth, prepared to respond when a loud whistling noise pervaded the air. For a moment, Serena actually thought that the sound was coming from the Gates themselves, but when it got louder and louder, despite herself not moving, she realized it was coming from above. So, that was where she looked.

The starlit sky was twinkling for just a moment until a great black shape began to move across it. Only when it finally entered within the vicinity of the town marketplace and was illuminated by the green glow of the meteorites and the streetlamps, could Serena tell what it was. Not that any of it surprised her in the least. Floating above the Gate of Water was an airship. Only it was smaller, much smaller than the last one that had attacked Nova Town. No missile was launched this time, but as Serena watched the airship, she noticed a hole, shining with light, open up at the bottom of it and a rope came cascading down.

"They're here," Astrid said calmly. She tossed a pokeball into the air and Absol emerged next to her. Serena didn't do any of that; not out of fear, but out of curiosity. Another airship seemed to be arriving, this one coming to settle on the other side of the marketplace over the Gate of Wind. The same event was happening on the other side. This was the true invasion. Whatever Team Neo was trying to do by opening a time portal didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that they were here to make it happen.

"Braixen. Sylveon. Pancham," Serena said, tossing out each pokeball with a call of their names. Her three Pokémon stood before her, instantly getting into a fighting stance. Near her, Rocky had called out his Rhyperior and Probopass. The two looked at each other and shared a look. They were ready. "We're going to stop Team Neo, right here."

"Let's try to not wreck the town, guys," Rocky said to his Pokémon. "This isn't like before. We have people to protect here, okay?"

"Perior!" Rhyperior roared out with a pumping of both of its fists. Rocky patted it on the back for that. Serena stepped forward, watching as a third airship now hovered over the Gate of Earth. No other sounds were heard quite yet, so Serena figured that for the moment, what was here was what would be coming at them in the invasion. Uniformed Team Neo members began to drop from the airships.

"Rhyperior, use Rock Wrecker!"

"Braixen, hit the other side with Fire Blast!" The two trainers' commands had been swift, but their Pokémon were even quicker in their execution. Braixen twirled her wand only once before jabbing it forward and the wheel of fire jetted out quicker than ever before. One of the Team Neo members seemed to turn, just in time for the Fire Blast to hit, which sent them all knocking backwards. Part of the rope was singed and Serena's vision narrowed in on that. On the other side, Rhyperior's attack had gone crushing through, also knocking some of their enemies off their feet.

"Rocky, we have to stop those airships from landing any more troops," Serena insisted. "The ropes are flammable, so I can probably take care of that. All we have to do then is take the airships out of the sky. Pancham, Sylveon, I need you to protect our Pokémon in case they decide to attack."

"Pancham cham!" Pancham assured his trainer with a thump of his chest. Sylveon also nodded, an absolutely fierce look in her eye. Smiling at her Pokémon's determination, Serena turned to Diantha and Astrid.

"Champion, I think that since Gardevoir isn't fully recovered yet, you should help with the evacuation of the townspeople. There's still no guarantee we can succeed, and I think it would be best to get them to safety."

"Of-of course, but…" Diantha seemed to look shocked, though Serena couldn't figure out why. Even Astrid and her Absol were staring at the two trainers that were gearing up for a fight. It was unusual, and made her feel a little self-conscious. "You're truly willing to battle Team Neo like this? You know what they're planning and how ruthless they are. You're outnumbered without my Gardevoir to back you up but you still…"

"We're not just some random trainers, Champion," Rocky said, putting a foot on the fountain to gain some height. "We're the Ancien Trainers…nah, the Ancien Warriors. All of us fought in that battle two months ago. You may look at us and think we're just like any other, but we're not."

"We're battle hardened," Serena concluded, as weird as it sounded to say it aloud. Nevertheless, it was the truth. "We put our lives on the line and came out stronger. We…no, I will protect this town. Ash isn't here right now, but he can't protect all of us, so I'll do it in his stead. I'll never give up."

"Serena…" Diantha breathed out, staring the honey-blonde Performer in her eyes. Serena continued to stare back, her eyes sharp and challenging, as if daring Diantha to refute her. She wasn't backing down from this fight, even if the Champion wanted her to. Eventually, though, Diantha finally managed to smile. "I'll work on getting the townspeople out. Once that is done, I'll come back here. Take care of Team Neo until then."

"You got it!" Rocky called. Serena could do nothing but nod at the Champion before turning back. Some more Neo members were dropping to the ground, but all Serena heard were the sounds of Diantha's footsteps running the other way. With that, she walked forward, Rocky and Astrid flanking her.

"Let's do this, guys," she said sternly. Braixen and her other Pokémon looked to her, needing no words to convey their conviction. "Sylveon, blow them away from the ropes using Fairy Wind."

"Sylvie!" Sylveon cried whipping her feelers outward to create a veritable storm of wind. Those on the ground were buffeted by the attack, but plenty of them were able to stand their ground. Those who were still sliding down, however, were blown off of it. Sylveon didn't stop there, turning her body to continue around the marketplace, blowing every descending rope in a gale.

"Now, Pancham, move in there and beat them back with Arm Thrust and Dark Pulse. Don't get hit," Serena said. Pancham flipped forward towards a group of Team Neo members. Once he reached those clustered on the ground, Pancham bounded upward and slammed one in the face with his attack before leaping off another's and firing a Dark Pulse into the cluster. At the same time, Astrid was making her own move on another cluster.

"Use Psycho Cut!" she called. Absol's horn glowed purple and then it flung its head, sending the crescent shaped Psycho Cut sailing into another group. The rope there was sliced in half.

"Wreck it, Rhyperior!" Rocky yelled out. His faithful Pokémon summoned the countless stones around its body before thrusting its arms forward so that they could all fly out. The stones sailed through the area and impacted with the final group of Neo members on the ground.

"Now, burn the ropes with Fire Spin," Serena commanded calmly. Braixen pointed her stick towards the first group and waved her wand, prompting a spinning spiral of flame to erupt underneath it, consuming the rope and burning it to cinders. She continued onward, pointing at each of the ropes in turn, burning them to pieces. "That should buy us at least a little time."

"Now how do we take down the airships?" Astrid mused, her head looking around the marketplace to try and figure things out. Serena would have joined her, if she hadn't seen the dark shapes of flying Pokémon flit through the air. The invasion was far from over.

"They're still coming from above!" she called out, drawing attention back to the sky. Sure enough, from the tops of the smaller airships, people and Pokémon were emerging, swooping down to the ground, though in lesser numbers than before. In particular, Serena tracked a Pidgeot swooping through the air from the airship nearest her, easily recognizing the person atop it. "Everyone, back up against the fountain, and keep an eye out."

"I was about to suggest that," Rocky said with a smirk, but he easily obeyed her anyway.

"Absol, get ready."

Keeping her eye on the still descending Pidgeot, she also watched as a small hovercraft shot out, containing two people. Other fliers like Skarmory and such were also carrying some members from the villainous team, but Serena never let her eyes avert from the man now making a combat roll on the ground. Alpha Squad had arrived.

"Stand aside," Tau said, gripping his pokeball.

"No," was Serena's determined answer.

"Then I will make you. Skuntank, you know what to do." From Tau's pokeball emerged the Skunk Pokémon that had given her so much trouble before. Only this time, it didn't look ready to play games, because Serena instantly noticed the smell invading her nostrils. Astrid pitched backwards, almost collapsing into the fountain while Rocky was gripping his head. "Snarl."

"Sy…Sylveon, Fairy Wind! Blow it all away!" Serena managed to gasp out. Sylveon pranced forward and sent the rippling pink wind blasting across the area. As soon as it came into contact with the Snarl, the Dark type attack broke apart and dissolved, while the actual wind took care of the smell, allowing the three to breathe again. As an added bonus, Skuntank was forced to recoil. "I developed a counter to your tactic. It won't work again."

"I'm impressed," Tau admitted. "I still need to make you move, though. Theta, Chi, move Beta Squad into position. We need to be ready by the time the Mark Omega gets here. Ditch the hovercraft."

"Already taking care of it," came the voice of Theta from the hovercraft. Serena didn't look to see what they were doing, though. She was too focused on Tau, who also wasn't taking his gaze away from her.

"Rocky, Astrid…" She really hoped that she didn't have to spell out what they needed to do.

"On it," came Astrid's response. Without hesitation, she dashed to the side, aiming for one of the Gates where more Neo members were landing. Unlike the ones that had come before, these seemed to easily notice her coming and they sent an army of Pokémon out against her. Rocky was more fortunate, but he still left, making Serena and Tau the only two directly in front of the fountain. Past him, Serena could see the exodus that the sleepy town was beginning to make.

"You're quite the leader," Tau commented, his eyes only briefly looking below to his Skuntank who was shaking its head in recovery. Serena emulated it momentarily.

"Not at all," she told him. He shared no expression with that. "Ash is the leader, but I've watched him since my journey began. He's inspired me, taught me to be better than I am. He's the reason I'm standing here, ready to defend this town, but not as a leader."

"But you  _are_  a leader, young lady," Tau insisted. "You may not know it, but trust me. The way you hold yourself, your selflessness, your calmness. They're the exact same reasons I chose to follow Dalton…well, part of the reason."

"What does that even mean? You joined Team Neo, and did all this, on a whim?"

"None of us chose to do this on a whim. You need to understand that," Tau continued. His foot moved forward and Serena could tell that he was preparing for the next strike. Her body tensed a little bit. "Our reasons for joining the team are reasons that are etched deep in our very souls. We have the conviction to do what needs to be done."

"Conviction? The Draconids said the same thing in Ancien City. They said we lacked conviction; the conviction to defeat them," Serena told him. Next to her, her Pokémon all tensed, each of them ready for the coming fight. "They were wrong."

"Hmph…Then show me. Protect the town. Prove to me that we can change without such drastic measures." Tau's statement confused her, but she still knew a declaration of battle when she heard one. She was ready.

"Pancham, Stone Edge!"

"Pan!" Pancham cried out, slamming both hands down on the ground. Tau remained unmoving as the jagged edges sprang up from the ground in a completely mismatched pattern. All around that area of the marketplace was soon covered in stones, almost like a mountain pass, and Skuntank was stuck in the middle of it.

"Cover with Smokescreen," Tau ordered. Skuntank bristled, snorting a little before expelling the smoke from its body, consuming the area entirely. Pancham was looking into the smoke worriedly, and Serena would have felt the same, but she needed to direct and trust in her Pokémon. That's what she decided to do.

"Sylveon, dance on top of the rocks," she ordered. Sylveon crouched low and then sprung up onto the stones, well above the smoke. "Keep dancing. Don't stay still for a moment."

"Veon!" Sylveon cried out in agreement and she began to prance over the rocks, her eyes peering into the smoke. Through the thick plume of it, neither Serena nor the rest of her Pokémon could discern Skuntank's location, and Tau certainly wasn't playing his hand. It was like a waiting game, one broken up only by the sounds of Astrid fighting off the mob that was Beta Squad.

"Acid Spray, now," Tau finally commanded. In seconds, the orange globule fired off towards Sylveon, who reacted on instinct. Her green shield was erected automatically, blocking the attack and preventing harm from coming to her. More than that, it revealed Skuntank's location.

"Dark Pulse, Pancham!" she yelled out. At the command, Pancham jumped up to join Sylveon on the rocks, a black nexus of energy swirling between his hands that he then sent cascading into Skuntank. The cry indicated that they had met their mark. "Back off, you two, and light up that Smokescreen with Flamethrower, Braixen!"

"Brai!" Braixen replied confidently, holding her wand out and with a single jab sent a roaring turret of flame at the smoke. The two moves collided and exploded. Serena held on to her hat as tiles were flung upward and dust was kicked into the air from the collision.

"Obliterate the rest of the obstacles with Snarl."

"Tank!" Skuntank grunted out, and as some of the dust from the explosion began to clear, she saw the Skunk Pokémon slam down and send the rippling black wave at them. Serena opened her mouth to tell them all to dodge, when Pancham leapt forward with an Arm Thrust, slamming it into the attack.

"No, Pancham!"

"Pan pan cham pan!" Pancham said, now using his other stubby arm to hold it off. She could tell he was struggling to maintain the block. Before Serena could order Sylveon or Braixen to take charge, however, the Snarl broke through. The attack rammed into Pancham and sent him flying against the fountain.

"Sylveon, use Swift. Braixen, combine with Flamethrower!"

"Counter that with Shadow Ball." Tau ordered, snapping his fingers. Sylveon whipped its feelers out powerfully, the shining stars rushing briskly towards her target. At the same moment, Braixen aimed at all of them with Flamethrower and the stars took on an almost burning, celestial quality, blazing brightly as they streaked towards Skuntank. Their opponent opened its mouth and fired off as many Shadow Balls as it could. The two attacks met in midair, showering them all with golden sparks amongst the green glow.

"Now, Braixen, use Hidden Power, full strength." Braixen moved quickly enough that Tau didn't see it coming. One second, Skuntank was sliding back from its barrage, and the next a large silver orb was colliding with its head, sending it further backwards. Tau continued to observe the battle with only minor interest. Serena glared at him. "Answer me something. Why are you in Team Neo? Why are you the leader of Alpha Squad?"

"The simplest answer is that I share Dalton's vision," Tau told her. "Not that it's any concern to you. Once the operation is over, neither my reasons nor my telling you will mean a thing. You seem to have figured that out."

"That's why I won't let you win," Serena answered. "Not you, or Dalton. Nothing good ever comes from trying to change things that happened."

"Dalton disagrees, as do I. Which, speaking of our leader…" Serena's brow furrowed at his statement, wondering just what he was referring to, when a louder whirring than she had heard previously entered into her ears. It sounded just like the airships from before, only different; it sounded more powerful. Serena turned her gaze to the sky, only briefly getting a look at the stalemate that her current companions were in on the opposite sides of the marketplace. Once she had, her eyes widened. Even in the night sky, there was no mistaking the size of the larger airship. It wasn't quite as large as the first one, but it was certainly almost three times the size of the other airships. Sticking out from the bottom of it seemed to be a spire, almost similar to the spire on the fountain. She couldn't see to the top.

This had to be the Mark Omega that Tau had mentioned earlier.

"Now is where the  _real_  battle begins. Acid Spray on Sylveon," Tau asserted. Serena finally whipped her attentions back to the battle, cursing herself for getting distracted.

"Sylveon…" Serena could only watch as the orange mess headed for Sylveon. All she saw was Braixen moving, using the length of her wand to move Sylveon out of the way to take her place. The orange blob impacted and Braixen was blasted back, dropping to a knee from the strength and unexpectedness of the attack. It made Serena's blood boil. "Double Team!"

"Syl!" Sylveon cried out, and Serena was surprised to hear how angry she sounded. It was entirely unexpected from such a timid Pokémon, but Sylveon nevertheless obeyed, her copies sprouting up all over the place and surrounding Skuntank. Somehow, Serena didn't even need to give a command. One of the copies looked to Serena and she nodded. With that, a near explosion of Fairy Wind, combined with Swift ripped forward like a hurricane, battering the now surrounded Skuntank. There was nothing the enemy could do to stave it off, barely even holding itself on the ground. Behind her, Pancham was getting up, even if he seemed weaker than before.

"Pancham, can you fight?" Pancham climbed out of the fountain and ran towards the clones. "Now, Arm Thrust!" Pancham jumped up, sailing over the copies as he came hurtling down, his glowing fist finally making contact with Skuntank's head and slamming it downward. Serena cast a gaze at Tau, who looked surprised for the first time. Not that the surprise lasted long, because he was soon putting his hand to his ear.

"Everything is ready then, sir?" he was saying. Serena wasn't entirely certain what to take from that, but she knew it couldn't be good. "It would seem that Theta Unit and Chi Unit are all set. My own as well. The cables are ready when you are."

"Cables?" Serena could only question, though Tau wasn't one to give much of an answer. He just gave another command.

"Skuntank, time to join our unit."

"Skun!" the Skunk Pokémon uttered, and like always, plumes of smoke issued out. Sylveon's copies disappeared and she began to look worried again. Serena pulled herself together, ready to give another command.

 _Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!_  came a sudden loud noise, straight from the fountain. The sound attracted Serena's attention immediately, no doubt allowing Tau to get wherever in the marketplace he needed to go. What was most disturbing, though, was the fountain; the spire at its top began to glow before shooting upward and connecting with the spire on the bottom of the Mark Omega. It was a beautiful pink and purple beam, coalescing at what Serena thought was the top of the airship in small orb.

Then that energy being exchanged between the two blasted outward, extending beyond the orb. Serena crossed her arms in front of herself as the energy was pulsing, pushing her back a bit. Then it let off a great pulse that sent her flying back into the surface of one of the Gates. Knocking her head a bit, Serena fell to the ground, ears ringing and the taste of bile in her mouth. For a moment, her vision went blurry and all she could see was the green glow mixing with the pink and purple…no, it was  _becoming_  pink and purple.

"Are you…okay…?" Serena choked out, trying to clear the blurriness from her eyes. Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon were all lying on the ground, struggling to get to their feet from the blast. They answered her quickly, easing Serena's heart, and she struggled to her feet, using the Gate as support. Turning her head a bit, she could see that the glow of the Four Gates was no longer green, having turned entirely to the same glow being output by the fountain. It was glowing slightly translucent, too, allowing Serena to see the Pokémon entombed inside: a Blaziken mixed in with a Charizard. Serena had to try to keep the vomit down; Diantha had been absolutely right, though they certainly no longer looked alive.

She turned back to the fountain and looked upward, noticing the energy blasting upward like a beacon. Centered above it was the Mark Omega, which the beam almost looked to be splitting through, and though her vision was still blurry, Serena could swear that in the orb on the top of the airship were the four keystones. A groan close by indicated the presence of Astrid and Rocky nearby. That made her hopes drop just a little, because if they were here, no one was fighting Team Neo. Shifting her gaze to the side, she noticed the three leaders of Team Neo, Alpha Squad, with various remaining members setting up by the gates with what looked like some sort of launchers. The hovercraft was near one of them, too. She groaned and tried to stand on her own…until a new sound joined the fray. It was only in the distance, almost far away, but it was enough to send a chill through her bones.

_Rooooooooar!_

"What…what is that?" Astrid gasped out. Serena wasn't sure how to answer, even if she saw the sweat breaking out across Astrid's brow. Her own limbs were trembling, as if they noticed the sound and it reminded her of those events.

"No…please, no…" Rocky moaned out in horror. It was one of the few times that she saw him truly freaked out. "Not that thing…not now…"

Serena's breath was coming in near gasps, falling once more to her knees. Her gaze turned upward, and she felt herself fill with fear. Clouds were rolling in, covering up the stars, crackling with emerald lightning. There was no doubt about it: Rayquaza was coming. With it was the harbinger of fear, causing even the toughest of trainers like Rocky and Astrid to be reduced to mumbling messes on the ground. Even Serena felt her own hands shaking with the fear; how was Team Neo even standing? Didn't they hear it?

"Braixen…brai…" her beloved Fox Pokémon called, and Serena felt the soft touch of her fur. Looking up, she realized that Braixen was talking to her, though it was hard to hear anything over the noise of the pulsating energy and the incoming roar. But she could feel it…she could feel what Braixen was trying to impart to her. All of her confidence, all of her love. This was a battle for their future…maybe even their past. Most importantly, it was a battle for their present, and she wasn't going to let a single legendary Pokémon stop her.

"I understand," she said, finally able to hear herself over the amalgamation of sounds. She put her hand on Braixen's. "I won't give up. There's no giving up. Not today. Not ever."

"Serena…" Rocky said, his voice still filled with that fear. He was positively shaking, and Serena picked herself up, standing tremulously on her feet.

"I won't give up!"

"That's right! No one's giving up!" yelled a voice. It was a familiar voice, but was certainly just her emotions and imagination playing a trick on her. "You can't give into despair when we've got a battle to fight. We've got a future to save! Serena!"

The honey-blonde's breath caught in her throat, and despite not wanting to let herself down, she turned around, staring down the street they had first came down when they arrived in Nova Town. First, she caught sight of the helicopter that was practically overturned in the street, and the forms of Clemont and the others (including, to her surprise, Korrina and what looked like Team Rocket) stumbling out. More than that, though, she saw Ash running right for her, Pikachu and Greninja ahead of him as he did so. He was smiling as he ran, and for a very brief second, Serena could have sworn her mind was playing tricks.

Then he reached her and took her in his arms. That was when she knew it was real. That was when she knew he was here. And when he kissed her, without provocation or purpose other than to prove he was there, she melted, small tears rolling down her face. She hugged him back tightly, even as the sounds of battle surrounded them.

"I'm back…" he whispered. And there was only way to respond.

"Welcome back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I'm not going to lie: this was the most difficult chapter to write thus far. It gave me hell to do it. I had to juggle pretty much almost every revelation aside from motivation, start the final battle but come nowhere near to finishing it, find a way to keep Diantha out of the conflict because otherwise she'd break things, and then wrap it all up in an emotional moment. As for where this story goes…well, things are heating up, and I just hope I did a good job of explaining it. Let me know if I did.
> 
> On the story plot points and Serena's character in this chapter. 1) Right now, there's a bit more organized chaos than there was with the Draconids in the first story. Team Neo is more organized on what they need to do for their plan, whereas the Draconids had a lot less to do. I'm hoping you've still been enjoying them and what they're bringing to the table. It does make it a little harder to write, though. 2) Serena, in the Ancienverse, has grown immensely. The first story had her taking charge and inspiring when needed to, but still not being a leader. Now, here, as an evolution of her time both with and away from Ash in the story, she's growing into a leader and thus taking charge. I hope you don't feel I've perverted her character in any way but simply brought her to a logical place within this universe.
> 
> You've all made me love my writing, and I hope I make you love reading this. Until we next meet, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.


	13. A Rematch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If the song "STRIKE BACK" by BACK-ON was meant to almost be representative for the Zinnia battle in the last story, then the song "Believe in Myself" by Edge of Life is definitely the song for the climax of this story. Enough rambling! Time for Chapter 13!

Chapter 13

A Rematch

"Are you okay?" Ash asked immediately, placing his hands on her shoulders. Serena noticed that Pikachu was back up top while Greninja kept vigil after offering a nod to Braixen, and she was glad that they had reunited with Ash. Pikachu seemed to smile back at her before Ash was talking again. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine," she answered, moving her hand up cup his face. "A little winded from getting blown back, but otherwise, I'm all right."

"Oh, good…" Ash breathed out, and she could practically see the tension leave his body so that he could relax. Once more, he pulled her in, holding tightly against her body in a hug. She swallowed a little, almost uncomfortable with such an affectionate Ash. Not that she didn't like it. From here, she could feel his chest rising and falling with every breath he took, and she could inhale his smell…even if said smell was one from not showering for a day. None of that mattered. "You have no idea how worried I was."

"How worried  _you_  were?  _I_  was the one worried, Ash," Serena insisted. "You were captured. I had no idea where you were, and…and…"

"No worries. I'm here now!" Ash exclaimed, chuckling a little. The howling above them increased, and Serena could see that purple beam reflected in her boyfriend's eyes. At least, she saw it until his eyes focused and he looked at her seriously. "Serena…I…if I asked you to go and help out the townspeople while I beat Team Neo, would you do it?"

Serena blinked. Was Ash…asking her what she thought? He continued to look at her earnestly, and she knew that he required an answer from her. So, she shook her head. "I wouldn't."

"That's what I figured…" he breathed out in response, holding onto the brim of his hat. Pikachu looked at him with a smile. "You went to Snowbelle, didn't you? Clemont told me."

"I did," she stated, not sure exactly where Ash was going with this.

"You must have fought in a battle there…you probably started fighting here…" Ash said, and she saw that worried look once more appear on his face. "I…I don't want to lose you. I knew that when we fought Zinnia in Ancien, but now that you and I are together, I  _really_  don't want to lose you at all. Every time we get into these kinds of battles, I'm scared I will."

"You're not going to lose me, Ash," she snapped at him. "As long as we stay by each other's sides, I promise that you're not going to lose me."

"But what if we can't always be by each other's sides? !" Ash asked. "What happens then…like when I ran off into the forest. I mean, that snowstorm…"

"Ash Ketchum, pull it together!" Serena snapped at him, stomping her foot on the ground angrily. At this, he looked up at her in surprise. "I am your girlfriend!  _Your_  girlfriend! Not just some porcelain doll to be put on a shelf. You're worried about me. It's sweet, and I understand that, but I worry about you, too! I worry that one day you're going to jump off a cliff to save a Pokémon and not come back…but that never stops me from letting you jump off that cliff."

"Wait…I worry you when I do stuff like that?" If Serena thought it was the appropriate time, she would have smacked her forehead and called him an idiot. Even Pikachu looked exasperated.

"Of course I do!" she responded, scowling at him. He seemed to recoil from the sight of this alone. "But, Ash, you can't keep pulling me from the path of oncoming trains…or Pokémon…or crime syndicates like Team Neo. As long as you and I are together, we have to trust that the other one will be okay. If that's not enough…then we protect each other."

"Protect…each other?" Ash seemed to be starting to get it now, or at least he was lost in thought, which was a start.

"Yes. You protect my back, and I protect yours. That way, we'll never have to worry," Serena said sternly. She then reached up and once more cupped his face. "Ash, I love you, and I don't want to lose you, but I won't be sidelined. We either do this together, or not at all. No more holding back. No more secrets. Do you promise me?"

Ash appeared to swallow thickly but after a moment, he nodded. "Right. Together, then."

With that, Serena felt the need to cement their promise by dragging Ash into a kiss. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder as they embraced a moment. When they separated, his cheeks were sparking. To this, Ash turned, and Serena with him. Whatever Team Neo's Beta Squad had been up to, they were finished and were turning their attentions to the opposition: them. Knowing this, Serena took out Greninja's pokeball and handed it over to her boyfriend. He grinned.

"All right, then! Greninja, return for now and rest up. I'll need you later," he said as he returned Greninja to his pokeball. Ash turned to his best partner. "Pikachu, you ready to go?"

"Pika pika!"

"Sylveon, I'll need your help right now, too," Serena said, backing up a little to stand right next to Ash. He smiled at her and held his hand out. She took it. There was no more hesitation, even if there was a modicum of worry, in his grip, and it made Serena grin. Time to strike back.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled. Pikachu bounded forward once and sent the searing bolt of electricity towards one of the groups approaching. It collided with a mess of Weezing in the middle and exploded outward. The Beta Squad troops went spiraling in all directions. Serena turned towards another group.

"Use Swift!" Sylveon snapped its feelers out, the burst of stars impacting with those other troops. They weren't alone, though; troops from the other side of the marketplace were clearly moving in to join ranks, quickly building up their large force. Ash gripped her hand tighter.

"Serena, let's do this!"

"Yeah!" It was such a strange experience, though no stranger than last time, but it felt right for the two of them and their Pokémon to run into the group of Beta Squad members engaging them. It did allow them to get somewhat surrounded, but Serena wasn't even worried in the least. She let go of Ash's hand and positioned her body differently so that her back was resting against his. "We watch each other's backs, okay?"

"You got it," Ash chuckled out. "Oh, before I forget…thanks for looking after Pikachu and Greninja for me."

"Of course!" she said with a smile, even though he couldn't see it. Near her, she could see Braixen and Pancham closing ranks next to Sylveon, and Ash called Hawlucha out. "Hey, Ash, remember our fight against Zinnia?"

"Hard to forget…"

"I have a combination move idea. Sylveon, use Fairy Wind. Pancham, into the wind!" Turning her head, Serena caught sight of Ash's grin and he looked to Pikachu. The electric mouse quickly got the idea, bounding forward to join hands with Pancham. As Sylveon sent the pink wind rippling out, both Pikachu and Pancham bounded into it, carried far up into the air to the point that they were obscured by the purple light. "Now, Dark Pulse!"

"Electro Ball!" Ash roared out. Aiming in different directions, their two Pokémon fired off their attacks into the thick of the Beta Squad members. The Electro Ball impacted, sending sparks of electricity all throughout the ranks, while Dark Pulse made the other side go tumbling. Only, they easily began to refill their ranks. Serena frowned at that. "Hawlucha, use Flying Press!"

"Lucha!" Hawlucha cried confidently. He ran towards the fountain, and to Serena's surprise, she saw that the energy had stabilized enough for Hawlucha to use the fountain as a jumping off point to spin and come slamming down on all the Pokémon and trainers gathered. He jumped back almost immediately, avoiding any harm. Once more, their ranks quickly filled in.

"Man, they just keep coming…" Ash expressed with exhaustion. "This won't work. We need to stop all of Team Neo, but these guys are like a nest of Beedrill…"

"I know…" Serena expressed, her eyes scanning around the area, as if trying to find a gap in their forces. While she did so, Ash continued to call out commands, leading Hawlucha and Pikachu to bat aside as many Pokémon as they could. Her own Pokémon were acting without commands, too, as she contemplated their situation. Naturally, her eyes were drawn to the column of energy enveloping the fountain, and her eyes went upward, catching sight of the still descending troops from the airships. "We need to take out the airships, or this will never stop!"

"Then maybe you guys should get some help before running off!" yelled Rocky's voice. Serena turned and watched as Rhyperior pitched a giant stone into the area that slammed through Team Neo members, leaving them sprawled on the ground. "Seriously, you're as energetic as ever, Ash."

"Rocky! How've you been?"

"Could be better, and you still owe me a battle." Ash just grinned at that, leading Serena to giggle a little bit at the sight. "Now, we need to destroy the airships, right?"

"Sounds easier than it probably is," Astrid called out once more. "Absol, Dark Pulse!"

"Sol!" Absol bellowed, its mouth opening and sending a powerful black swirl of energy into another cluster of enemies. They were really coming down in droves.

"You leave the airship dismantling to us, twerps," said a new voice to the fray. Serena's eyes widened and she caught sight of Jessie swaggering in, Gourgeist hovering in front of her. With this, she turned back to her boyfriend.

"You brought Team Rocket?" she asked in amusement, flinching a little as Braixen twirled in midair and slammed her wand to the ground, sending jets of fire along it. Ash shrugged with a sheepish smile on his face.

"They wanted to come," he explained. "Besides, they're great to have on your side in these kinds of situations. I would know."

"Da twoip speaks da truth," Meowth confirmed. Serena was still skeptical; Ash, for all of his wonderful traits, could sometimes be a little gullible when it came to Team Rocket. She had a feeling he'd just spent too much time with them over the years. James stepped forward and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, twerpette," he said smoothly. "We're the best friends to have in a jam like this. Plus, Inkay, Gourgeist and Wobbuffet are perfect for the job of handling reinforcements."

"Not to mention that we've taken down at least three other criminal organizations," Jessie finished sagely. It was Ash's turn to chuckle at that one.

"Is that what you've been telling people?" he said. Even Pikachu seemed to find the fact rather humorous. Jessie, for the first time, didn't seem to let it get to her. She just looked to her feline companion.

"If you would, Meowth?"

"Right, revamped jetpacks made from da Rocket Balloon's spare parts are a go!" Pulling a button out of next to nowhere, he pressed it, making jetpacks suddenly expand on their group's backs, even Wobbuffet's. Serena just stared at it, utterly flabbergasted. Sometimes, the group just defied logic. "Remember, dis stuff's only got a little bit of juice in it; nothin' like what da boss gives us."

"Blah blah science, blah blah restrictions," Jessie waved off. Gourgeist appeared to be imitating her. "Let's go!"

"Blasting off for success!" James declared, and he pressed a button on his own jetpack. It fired up, though not without a few splutters. But within ten seconds, James was flying off for the sky, Inkay spinning after him.

"We'll fix 'dis mess!" Meowth proclaimed, taking off after him. Jessie was very quick to follow after her comrades.

"So sit back and take a rest!" With that, the three were practically twinkles in the night sky…well, if those twinkles could cause explosions and maniacal cackles. Serena just decided to not question it, or how they had the time to build jetpacks so quickly. Then again, this was the group that pursued them with a new mech on a weekly basis…

"Well, I guess that's taken care of," Ash laughed off. Serena shared in a nervous chuckle before realizing that Astrid and Rocky were still battling intensely near them. That brought them back to their situation quickly. It also helped Serena to notice that the quintet that was Clemont, Bonnie, Christopher, Bethany, and Korrina was finally approaching. Korrina was leading the pack on her roller-skates while Clemont was, predictably, behind…though trailing ahead of Bonnie, to her surprise.

"Was…were those…" Clemont huffed up, almost tumbling over into Korrina, who held him up kindly. "Was Team Rocket wearing jetpacks? !"

"Yeah…" Serena voiced with a little bit of that amusement still in her voice.

"I can't believe I missed that…it looked so cool…" he whined, but quickly composed himself upon seeing their surroundings. Luxray was already next to him, though. At the same time, Korrina had launched forward into a predictably energetic hug on Serena.

"It's great to see you again! Isn't it great, Lucario?" Lucario nodded. Korrina looked at him a moment longer, and Lucario summoned white bones to his hands before leaping into the fray against Beta Squad. "So, Bonnie says that you two are dating now?"

"Bonnie…" Serena growled out menacingly. The lemon blonde just stuck her tongue out at her. "Yeah, we are, but we should save the details for later."

"Right, this is a battle! Luxray, Thunder Fang!" Clemont called out. Luxray pounced into the fray, electric jaws creating discharges that spread around the area. Bonnie was also at Clemont's side…with Squishy looking like he was in his dog form.

"Us, too! Dedenne, Nuzzle! And Squishy…uh…I don't know. Do whatever you need to?" Bonnie ordered. Squishy seemed to bark and then dashed forward, plowing through their forces at immensely quick speed. Dedenne was getting in on it, too, hopping atop Luxray and bouncing around with charged cheeks at any Beta Squad members that happened to come near. A little beyond them, towards the Gate, Serena caught sight of Bethany and Christopher battling it out. Rocky was now aiming his attacks in their direction, obviously hoping to reunite. The crowds were certainly thinning a little.

"You know…I'm surprised at how calm you all are," Korrina voiced. Serena turned back to her Pokémon for a second to order a triple attack from all three of her Pokémon, though they certainly appeared to be doing fine without her. Sylveon was the closest, throwing up a Protect when she needed to, in order to protect her trainer. "I mean, even I'm a little freaked out here to be battling such a large group of guys. I only wanted grandpa's keystone and the Scroll of Secrets back, but I didn't expect this."

"Heh heh!" Clemont cried out, adjusting his glasses a little. Serena repressed a shudder; whenever he did that nowadays, it reminded her of Conway from the Kalos Team Tournament. "That's because this is nothing compared to what we faced at Ancien City!"

"Really? Wow, you're all so cool!" Korrina expressed with a little bounce to her steps. Clemont chuckled a little, rubbing the back of his neck, and Serena could swear that she saw a blush. Though that didn't compare to the admiration shining in Korrina's eyes.

"Less talking!" Bonnie chastised their group. Hearing that reminded Serena of just what she needed to do. She turned back to her Pokémon, noticing that Ash had long since checked out of the conversation and returned to battle.

"Hawlucha, Karate Chop! Pikachu, Iron Tail!" he was yelling out. Even in such a tense situation, he still had somewhat of a smile on his face as he issued his orders to his Pokémon. It was an encouraging sight to see. She decided to emulate him.

"Pancham, Stone Edge. Braixen, blow it up with Fire Blast!" she cried to her partners. Pancham once more slammed his hands on the ground, creating a ring of stones that separated a bunch of the enemy from another. Braixen didn't even wait for the stones to form before sending a Fire Blast forward. It impacted with the Golbat and Weezing in the area, exploding in a plume of smoke. The ranks were definitely thinning now. "Ash, where's Seamus? I thought he was captured with you?"

"Uh…" Ash said, ordering a quick Thunderbolt before he could answer. "He was, but…some things happened. I think he's on that big airship up there, the Mach Omega…or something?" Serena was certain that he meant to say the "Mark Omega".

"Not that you'll get a chance to see him again! I'm destroying you here!" Ash's head whipped upward as did Serena's. The voice had been easily recognizable, and the brutish tactics even more so. Travis was streaking down on his Salamence, aiming right for them. "Flamethrower!"

"Protect!" Serena cried. Sylveon leapt to the side and erected her shield around the entire area as best as it could. Salamence rocketed downward, opening its maw and letting loose a torrent of flame that hardly fazed the shield. The same couldn't be said for the Beta Squad members who were consumed in Travis' own attack. It was nigh on sickening to see him attacking his own team members, even if they were the enemy.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Chuuuuuuu!" Pikachu cried out, aiming a Thunderbolt at Travis, who was riding down on his Salamence. The Dragon Pokémon swerved to the side, and Travis slid to the ground before he ran forward, right for Ash. Serena wanted to cry out as Travis aimed a punch at Ash's head…only her boyfriend easily sidestepped it and kicked him in the chest. Her eyes stared at the sight, unblinking…when had Ash become such a strong fighter?

"Ugh…why…do you keep getting in my way? Why do you keep trying to take away my wins? You pathetic loser!" Travis roared, spit flying from his mouth. He reared back, a pokeball in his hand and whipped it forward. Ash was already acting along those lines, himself. "Beartic, Slash him to shreds!"

"Noivern, use Dragon Claw!" Both Pokémon emerged from their pokeballs, and Serena watched as Noivern's glowing green claw collided with Beartic's white ones. A burst of energy rippled out from the clash, and Serena had to make sure to tamp her dress down, as well as tipping her hat to avoid the dustup from it. When the dust cleared, Travis had once more engaged Ash and was grappling with him while Noivern and Beartic were locked in a stalemate. At the same time, Salamence looked to be descending as Hawlucha came to the forefront to protect his trainer.

"Serena! You have my back, right? You'll look after me, right?" Ash grunted out as he disengaged one of his hands from Travis to sock him across the face. It was a little vicious, but Travis looked like he had utterly lost it, to the point of wanting to kill her boyfriend.

"Of course I will!" she cried out.

"Then do what needs to be done! I'll take care of Travis!" he said. Serena's heart actually soared a little; he was trusting her. He was letting her take charge of the battle, herself. He wasn't telling her to not fight Travis to protect her, she could see that. He wanted to take care of Travis for himself. "Pikachu, you can help her out? Can you two do that?"

"Got it!" Serena called. Pikachu also gave his trainer a thumbs up and bounded over to join the honey-blonde and her team. "Just be careful, Ash."

"You, too. Love you!" he said with a grin, then he kneed Travis, who countered with a punch to his side. And their Pokémon hadn't even gotten into the battle yet. Serena would have to keep an eye on things, but for now, with Beta Squad's ranks disappearing, she had things to do.

"Everyone, stop wasting your energy!" she called out. Clemont, Korrina and Bonnie, who were still closest, and were the first to hear, turned to her. Astrid also had Absol send out a powerful Psycho Cut that sent a whole group of their enemies flying backwards. Only the former Team Brutal trio took a little longer to meet up with them.

"What's up?" Bethany asked, giving a quick order for Cacturne to debilitate their enemies with Flash before Skarmory fired a Flash Cannon.

"Fighting Beta Squad is pointless. We have to fight Alpha Squad," she insisted. "I don't know how, but they're planning to contain Rayquaza with some kind of device to open a time portal. We can't let that happen, or the results would be disastrous. Now, I'd assume that each member of the Alpha Squad is overseeing each device. We need to split up."

"Give me Theta," Bethany said, cracking her knuckles a little. "I have unfinished business with my childhood hero."

"Then I'll take Chi," Christopher insisted. "I might not know him, but Beth does. That's good enough."

"I'll help out," Clemont said sternly. "I may not know him personally, but I've already fought him twice."

"If Clemont's going, then I am too!" Korrina insisted. Clemont looked at her and both nodded. Bonnie looked to pout a little at that.

"Well…then I'll help Bethany! Dedenne's Nuzzle is sure to come in handy," she insisted. Clemont looked like he wanted to say something to protest against this fact, but when he saw Bethany put a hand on Bonnie's shoulder, he let his argument die in his throat.

"Okay, the rest of us will fight through this mob as best as possible to get to Tau," Serena concluded. Astrid and Rocky both looked pleased with that particular order, with Rocky putting a rather feral grin on his face.

"Any words, General Serena!" Bonnie said with a salute. If they weren't in the middle of a battle, Serena would have found it adorably cute, but at the moment, she saw it as a request.

"Let's beat Team Neo, and save the world we live in," she said. Then she put her hand in. They all followed and raised their fists into the air. At that, each of them went splitting off in three different directions, aiming for a cluster of Beta Squad members that were in their way. Astrid and Rocky were already moving ahead of her, but Serena hung back a little, letting Braixen and the others duke it out, in order to watch how the Ash and Travis battle was progressing. Even as she moved forward, she was compelled to keep one eye on that battle.

"Pipika?" Pikachu asked. Serena looked down to smile at him.

"Don't worry. I know Ash won't give up, so let's clear these guys out to get to Tau!" Pikachu nodded, dashing forward with a Quick Attack. Serena quickly ordered a Swift from Sylveon and turned back to the battle raging near her. It helped that Tau wasn't quite in sight yet to demand her attention.

"Hawlucha, help Noivern out with High Jump Kick!" Ash was yelling as he threw Travis away from him. The redhead stumbled back, almost tripping over the fountain. Hawlucha ran across the ground as fast as his legs could carry him. His knee glowed brightly.

"Hawlucha haw!" the Wrestling Pokémon cried out, slamming his knee straight into Beartic's side. The Freezing Pokémon recoiled and his Slash attack slipped just a little allowing Noivern's glowing Dragon Claw to slice right across the Ice type. Beartic howled before turning that howl into a seeming war cry. Travis had regained his balance, but he was no longer running at Ash. Serena, calling for a Dark Pulse, had a feeling that the boy knew he stood no chance against Ash physically.

"You use Dragon Claw, now!" he spat. Salamence roared loudly and took briefly to the air again, though it only hovered a few inches off the ground. Then it shot forward like a rocket, its own green claw slicing into Noivern, who tumbled back against the pavement, ripping up some of the stones. He was able to easily right himself, though. Serena shot a brief look, noticing Ash's face set in determination. Pikachu launched an Electro Ball behind her.

"You all right, Noivern?"

"Vern!" the Dragon type called, flapping his wings to get himself back up in the air again. Ash was looking in his Pokémon's direction, though he still took the time to smile at her.

"Great, now use Supersonic!" Noivern flapped his wings once, and even Serena could feel the wind buffet her from that as he sailed for Salamence and let off a series of sound waves right at the Dragon Pokémon from his ears. "Now, Karate Chop!"

"Lucha!" Hawlucha proclaimed, jumping past Travis, bounding off the fountain and slamming his fist upon Salamence's head. The Dragon Pokémon was slammed into the ground and Serena noticed Travis' scowl get even deeper. This was a fight to stay out of for the moment.

"Braixen, Fire Spin pillars!" she called out, making sure to not get too distracted by the battle just a few feet away. Braixen once more slammed her wand to the ground and numerous pillars of flame erupted around that portion of the marketplace. "Pikachu, Quick Attack."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried joyously, dashing in between the pillars, using them as cover. As soon as he slammed into a Mightyena on the ground, he let off a wide range Thunderbolt. Up ahead, Astrid and Rocky were still continuing to try and make their way through the swath; it was still impossible to see where their target was.

"Icicle Crash!" Serena's head swiveled at the command, catching sight of the descending icicles, aiming right for Noivern. Noivern tried to avoid it, but seemed to be a little too late…at least until Hawlucha soared forward to knock away as many of the icicles as he could with Karate Chop. It wasn't enough and a few of them collided with Hawlucha, slamming him into the ground. Ash seemed to say something over the sound of the impact and Noivern was zipping forward. He looked angry as his body glowed blue and he whipped through the air, impacting powerfully with Beartic.

"Flamethrower on that Noivern!" The command was so like Travis. Noivern was nowhere near clear of Beartic, having just finished his attack as the Flamethrower engulfed the both of them. Noivern cried out in pain while even Beartic hunkered down from the sudden attack. Serena wanted to run over and help out, but stopped herself from doing so.  _Trust him,_  she reminded herself. He was trusting her to battle and do her own job.

"Sylveon, use Protect on Pikachu and the others. Use that Protect to attack from behind!" Serena ordered. Sylveon snapped her feelers out to form a shield that the others then sent their projectile attacks out from behind it. A rogue Golbat flitted around, throwing an Air Cutter at them, though Pikachu spun with a Thunderbolt, knocking it out of the sky.

"Now attack Ketchum with Shadow Claw!" Travis voice roared over the din. Serena didn't look in that moment, more focused on her own team. She could easily imagine from the sounds of roaring and whooshing, that Salamence's claw was wreathed in shadows, sailing right for Ash himself.

"High Jump Kick, Hawlucha!" Ash's voice called out as a counter. To that command, Serena turned her head slightly in time to see Hawlucha jump up and collide with Salamence's jaw with a loud  _crack_. She actually winced from the sound until she noticed that a trio of Mightyena were firing Dark Pulses at her. Pancham countered it, and Serena quickly ordered for both Pikachu and Braixen to intercept. "Now, Noivern, use Boomburst on the ground!"

"Vern!" Noivern cried, giving a great flap of its wings to gain distance before sending the visible sound waves to impact with the ground. Dust suddenly rose up, billowing around the area, obscuring the battling trainers and their Pokémon from view. Serena breathed in as Salamence took to the air.

"Pikachu, Braixen, let's combine!" Serena called out, throwing her hand out.

"Weezing, use Poison Gas!" yelled a Beta Squad member. It was the first attack she actually heard called out from the other side since the ensuing attacks were covering up everything else. Braixen and Pikachu were already on the move. Her trusted partner waved her wand in an X shape, sending a cross shaped flame out; it almost looked like a Water Shuriken. Pikachu then charged up with an Electro Ball before flinging it into the fire. The flames wrapped themselves around the electric attack just as the Poison Gas began blowing out.

"Sylveon, send it back with Fairy Wind!" Sylveon's body tensed as she sent her Fairy Wind out. Being a stronger move, Sylveon pushed even harder than usual, finally managing to push the Poison Gas back upon the Weezing and the other Beta Squad members. At that moment, the fiery Electro Ball impacted and an explosion ripped out. Serena heard Rocky call for a Protect and noticed him grab Astrid and Absol as the explosion continued on. In the midst of it, Serena turned back to Ash's battle.

"Aerial Ace!" Travis screamed, his face contorting with fury. He really looked like he was about to lose it, while Ash looked perfectly calm. She had to smile a little bit at that as she waited for the smoke to clear. He was holding himself as well as he did during his second battle with Wulfric. Salamence swooped in, wings glowing white.

"X-Scissor, Hawlucha!" The dust by Ash cleared for just a moment, right in time for Noivern to use a wing to fling Hawlucha up at the descending Salamence. His claws glowed purple as he spun through the air, and Hawlucha made a direct impact with Salamence's attack. The wrestler proved to have more momentum, pushing on with his attack to slash across Salamence's stomach. The dragon roared in pain and tumbled back as Hawlucha landed proudly on the ground. Beartic was on the move again, his fist wreathed in ice. "Counter with Dragon Claw."

"Ha, you won't hold that for long!" Travis bragged as Noivern's green claw collided with the ice. Serena would have feared that Travis was right when Noivern's claw started icing over, but Ash seemed ready for this.

"Now, Boomburst, close range!" Noivern seemed to grin at the prospect and without warning the damaging sound waves came roaring out. The gridlock between the two fists was broken and Beartic went flying back…right towards a waiting Hawlucha.

Serena turned back to the cleared explosion, only hearing the sound of Hawlucha using a High Jump Kick to slam Beartic into the ground. There was no way the bear was getting back up in this fight. In fact, most of Beta Squad wasn't really getting back up, knocked out by the explosion she had caused. Rocky was already moving on to the strange machine, though now with the others out of the way, Serena noticed that Tau didn't really seem to be anywhere in sight. Furrowing her brow, she decided to scan the marketplace. Salamence was back in the air.

"Hawlucha, get on Noivern! Let's finish this!" Ash roared and Serena saw him running for Travis as the dragon took to the air. Noivern dove at Salamence. Both of the dragons' claws were glowing green, colliding powerfully in midair to the point that Serena could feel it down below. Not that Hawlucha was slacking either, swooping and gliding through the air to counter Salamence's other claw with a Karate Chop so that it wouldn't reach Noivern.

"Flamethrower!" Travis yelled just as Ash arrived to punch him across the face. The redhead stumbled back and hit the fountain, sinking into the water. He seemed to flail and struggle amidst the liquid, leaving him unable to give any more commands. Salamence was still acting on the previous one, rearing back and issuing a gush of flame.

"Hawlucha, ride Noivern's Boomburst straight through that Flamethrower!"

"Haw Hawlucha!" he cried out, making his victory pose before twirling and diving into the Boomburst that Noivern made. It was a spectacular sight to see: Hawlucha was rolling right through the flames without a single speck of damage before slamming into Salamence with a Flying Press. Salamence appeared to start spiraling downward as Hawlucha leapt off.

"Finish it with Acrobatics!" Noivern gave a screech and zipped through the air, his body glowing blue. At the last second, he seemed to vanish and then, with a final cry, Noivern slammed into Salamence, driving it into the ground, where it left a small crater.

Ash had beaten Travis…in more ways than one. And at that moment, he was dragging him out of the fountain.

"Where did you guys take Seamus? What are you doing to him? What are you planning to do with that time portal?" Ash yelled, clearly heard over the din of battle. Travis seemed to just start laughing loudly. Serena clenched her fist a little but decided that, with the battle finished, her focus needed to be on Tau. She turned away and ran forward to join Astrid and Rocky by the strange contraption. No one was there.

"So…how does this thing work? And how do we destroy it?" Rocky asked, tapping on its surface. Serena was no tech, and she couldn't quite figure it out, but she knew enough from fighting Team Rocket to at least try one thing.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt, please," she said to Ash's companion. Pikachu nodded, charging up and firing his electric attack. The contraption came away entirely unharmed. "So, it's immune to attacks, then? That must be why Tau left it behind…I wonder where he went, though."

"No idea…" Astrid commented. She was frowning, and Serena could see her eyes scanning the area. Overhead, the honey-blonde heard another roar that made her shiver. It was coming closer now; she could feel it in her skin. "Ah!"

At Astrid's gasp, Serena turned in time to see Skuntank at the fountain, firing a Shadow Ball that collided with Ash's stomach. Her boyfriend flew backwards, away from Travis to lay sprawled on the ground. The redhead appeared to be smirking (though it was hard to tell thanks to both distance and lighting) and he stood, snapping his fingers. Salamence got up with a roar, ready to strike back. Peering through the green haze, Serena thought she could see Tau in the distance, but it was impossible to confirm.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried out, beginning to dash towards Skuntank and Salamence, who looked about to keel over. Astrid stepped forward and Absol raced forward even faster, quickly outpacing Pikachu. Its horn glowed white, almost like a blaze as it charged ahead. Skuntank prepared to slam on the ground to likely use a Snarl, when Absol made contact. It rammed into Skuntank's side, sending it flying right into Salamence.

"Gardevoir, Moonblast," called Diantha's cool voice. Serena, and pretty much everyone nearby, turned their heads in time to see Gardevoir begin charging up before firing the pink shot of energy that slammed into both Salamence and Skuntank. Travis appeared to be caught in it along with them. Both the dragon and his trainer went flying back, crashing into the forest beyond the town, while Skuntank hit the fountain and passed out in the water below. "Shadow Ball on that man."

"Garde!" Gardevoir assured her trainer, firing a black orb straight at the form. Tau managed to step back and avoid the attack before once more running back and disappearing into the darkness. Serena decided to run forward and rejoin Ash while Absol quickly returned to Astrid's side.

"Diantha!" Ash greeted as he stood. He looked like he was ready to shake her hand, but Diantha didn't appear to be in such a state. She did look relieved to see him, though.

"Glad to see you're well, Ash. When I heard you were captured…" Diantha trailed off, practically leaving Ash to form his own conclusions. He just laughed it off before returning Hawlucha and Noivern to their pokeballs. They both looked tired.

"No problem. Clemont, Korrina and the others really helped me out," Ash assured her. Serena finally reached them both, though her eyes were still scanning the area, looking for where Tau could have gone. For that matter, she noticed that Skuntank seemed to be stirring in the water, though not quite getting up.

"So, you were at Shalour City?" Diantha asked. "Do you know what happened there?"

"Uh…they stole Gurkinn's keystone and the Scroll of Secrets. That's about it." Diantha frowned at the mention of the second item, causing Serena to furrow her brow. The Scroll of Secrets should have been nothing to worry about, not with all the weird stuff written on it. "Oh, yeah, and Clemont and Korrina said something about it meaning 'the end of the world as we know it'."

"That would make sense," Serena commented. "If they are making a time portal, then they technically  _are_  ending the world as we know it."

"Which must mean that the Scroll of Secrets contains the instructions of some sort to make this time portal happen. How to set the keystones, placement over the fountain, placement of Rayquaza potentially. The possibilities for what it contains are endless. I should have known, but I'm not privy to that information…there was speculation that the clans had recorded their knowledge, but this…" Diantha noted. Ash looked a little confused at what she was talking about, though he seemed to understand some of it. "If Dalton stole the Scroll of Secrets, he must be attempting this ritual for sure."

"Well, I don't really get it, but you're saying that the keystones are what's calling Rayquaza and opening a time portal, right?"

"Presumably."

"So…if we get the keystones from Dalton, then the time portal will collapse and Rayquaza will go away?" Serena looked at Ash, wondering where he was heading with his line of thought, though she had a pretty good idea of it.

"I can't speak for Rayquaza, but at the very least, the time portal will halt its expansion, I would think," Diantha answered him. Ash sucked in a breath and exhaled.

"Okay…" he said on the exhale. "Then I'll go get the keystones back!"

" _You_  will?" Diantha asked, though it was less in skepticism and more in amusement.

"Of course," Serena said, moving to stand by his side and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Ash can take care of it while we clean up things down below."

_Roooooooooar!_

The sound was so close that it shook the ground, sending all of the trainers to their knees practically. Diantha was even bowled over and Gardevoir caught her before flinching a little. Clearly, it was still in a bad state from overexerting itself recently. That particular duo wasn't going to be of much help. Serena looked up, and noticed that the green clouds were advancing and she was almost certain she could see the undulating shape of Rayquaza crawling through it. It was so close now.

"Agh!" Rocky's voice sounded out, and as Serena regained her balance, she looked over to see that Tau had reappeared. Serena ran forward to see that the leader of Alpha Squad had his arm around Rocky's neck as he approached his device.

"Don't move," he instructed. "You move, I squeeze. You attack, you hit him with me."

"Perior…" Rhyperior grumbled angrily. Serena took another step forward, but only by a small amount. Tau smiled at each of them.

"Good. I don't want you any more involved than you are now." With that, he slammed his hand down on a button. The contraption lit up, glowing a rainbow of colors as it seemed to charge up. It wasn't the only one; the other two contraptions around the plaza were firing up, too. These must have been the cables that Tau had mentioned, because they fired off into the air like beams of energy before joining into a circle in the air, somewhat below the Mark Omega.

_Roooooooooar!_

Serena stiffened, but relaxed a little when Ash took her hand. Together, all they could do was watch as Rayquaza descended from the sky, looking none too happy…and heading right for Team Neo's trap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: A very battle oriented chapter for the most part, but one that I'm relatively happy with. Other than that, a lot still happened with this here. Ash and Serena, having been separated for almost 8 chapters prior have been able to work out their problems and are moving forward together; Travis got blasted away by Diantha for being a homicidal prick; the whole gang has reunited for the final fight; Ash is about to go do what needs to be done, and did I miss anything? Oh, yeah, Rayquaza's back and crap's about to hit the fan. Of course, there's still a bit left to be revealed…like, you know, villainous motivations, and I think a large part of them will be touched on next chapter, so look forward to that.
> 
> As we head into the climax of the story, more or less, your words really keep my writing strong to carry through to the end. So, until next we meet, please do Review and Dare to Be Silly.


	14. A Tear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know. A long chapter. That said, Chapter 14!

Chapter 14

A Tear

Serena's eyes were alight with a small sense of horror as she watched Rayquaza entering the town. To her surprise, it completely ignored the Mark Omega, heading straight for the circling and swirling green circle of energy. Looking a little closer, Serena could see that inside those circling green circles were black lines, which must have been the cables. Whatever they were, they looked eerily similar to a larger version of the tools Team Rocket would use on them. Although, these looked like they were going to do more than just hold Rayquaza in place.

Said legendary was now in the town's area, opening its mouth wide. Within that maw formed a dark nexus of energy. She had only heard of what had happened with Rayquaza in Ancien City; seeing it happening firsthand was a much more frightening experience. And this time it wasn't even Mega Evolved.

"Serena, move!" Ash yelled. Next thing she felt was Ash grabbing her and bringing all of them to the side. Rayquaza's Hyper Beam came out in a line. Its first point of impact became the fountain before it stretched upward to the nearby Gate and into part of the town proper. The concussive blast from it was more than enough, and all three of Ash, Serena and Pikachu were pitched to the side from the blast. When it receded, Serena found that she had landed on Ash's back, and he was groaning. She quickly got off.

"Sorry," she apologized, grabbing Ash's hand and pulling him up. Rubbing her head from the bruise she felt was forming, Serena turned her attentions towards the fountain to find that it was still in one piece and going strong with its keystone energy output. Clearly, even its normal form was unable to output the kind of power that could destroy the device…or it was just because the device was in action.

Not that Rayquaza was stopping. If anything, it was getting more and more violent, like a wounded animal. It was no surprise when Serena caught sight of its tail suddenly stuck in that swirling energy of the cables. More than that, its tail was being pulled in, along with the rest of its body. All too quickly, Rayquaza was being dragged into the trap, almost like it would be assimilated with it. Firing off more Hyper Beams, some of the trees in the forest were knocked over, while another landed in the lake. What was most amazing was that none were hitting the airship, being blocked by some kind of pink barrier that was erected like a large disc that covered the marketplace. Somehow the Lord of the Skies had managed to pass through it in its descent. Maybe because of its body composition? Serena couldn't be sure.

"This can't be good…" Ash commented. Serena had to agree, especially when the Gates started glowing an even brighter color and the energy output was clearly going off the charts to the point that it was making her skin tingle. Above in the sky, clouds had completely obscured the stars, brimming with some sort of green lightning, like it was setting the stage for the temporal rift to be opened.

_ROOOOOOOOAR!_

Rayquaza's howl was more frenzied now as its whole body was suddenly trapped within the circle. Serena wasn't sure if it was some kind of miracle, or the beginning of their doom. All she knew was that they needed to free Rayquaza in order to stop Team Neo. At the very least, they had to do  _something_.

"Diantha!" Ash suddenly yelled, attracting Serena's attention. She turned and noticed that the Champion and her partner were against a broken bench, part of the splinters from the wood slicing across her arm. She was gripping it tightly, though even Serena could see the blood on her white clothing.

"I'm fine…just…" Diantha grunted out. She chuckled a little, though it was hardly a chuckle filled with humor. "A battle for the future of the world and I'm useless; letting children battle it out."

"You're just hurt," Ash insisted, walking over and kneeling before Diantha. "It's okay. We'll take care of it. Trust me!"

"You can deal with that beast? That monster?" Ash didn't answer her question. He just seemed to smile and he stood, approaching Serena. Once he reached her, he put both hands on her shoulders.

"Serena, I need you to do something," he said sternly. For a very brief moment, Serena thought he would ask her to get out of there, or save herself. He quickly assuaged that fear. "I need you and the others to do everything you can to protect this town from down here. Stop Team Neo, Rayquaza, whatever. I'm going to get those keystones back and give them to their trainers."

"You know that I will," Serena assured him. Ash nodded and Pikachu jumped up onto his shoulder, trainer and partner ready for battle. Ash tossed Noivern's pokeball into the air and the wyvern emerged from it with an affectionate cry, looking only slightly rested. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, Serena grabbed Ash and kissed him. "For luck. Be careful."

"Aren't I always?" Ash joked as Noivern spread his wings. He quickly climbed on to the dragon who flapped upward. "You be safe, too, Serena!"

With that, Noivern gave another flap of his wings and shot off for the sky where the Mark Omega and Rayquaza were. Serena gave a slight sigh before turning back around to see where the cable device was sitting. She wasn't surprised in the least that Rhyperior and Absol were flinging attack after attack at Tau. Her own Pokémon were standing by, as if awaiting her order to fight back, as well. It was easy to see their determined faces in the now luminescent pink light that illuminated the entire marketplace.

"Champion, we'll take care of this. Guys, let's go!" Serena said and she ran forward. Braixen was right at her side while Sylveon and Pancham were moving a little ahead, ready to join back in on the battle against Tau. The man was surprisingly nimble to be avoiding all of the Pokémon attacks, though it wasn't too shocking; Team Neo as a whole seemed to be physically fit. That wasn't to say he was invincible. Sometimes a stray stone from Stone Edge would nick his face or else Absol's Shadow Claw seemed to have formed a rip in his jumpsuit. Plus, he wasn't able to fight back with Skuntank out of commission.

"Pancham, stop him from moving with your own Stone Edge!" Serena yelled once she and her Pokémon had gotten close to the site of battle. Pancham tumbled forward with a somersault and as he flipped back over, his hands touched the ground, sending a ring of stones out that surrounded Tau. The man stumbled back after hitting one, driving him into the center of the ring. He quickly noticed the only way out and began running for it, just as Serena thought he would. "Now, Flamethrower!"

"Psycho Cut!" Astrid called out. Braixen's wand sent out a flame that served as a sort of wall, blocking Tau's advance forward. At the same moment, the purple crescent that was Psycho Cut sailed straight through it, and judging from the grunt, managed to hit their target dead on, slamming him back into the stones. Then Rocky spluttered as he ordered a Hammer Arm.

"Rhyperior!" the large Pokémon cried and it punched straight through the stones, plowed into Tau and sent him flying against the Gate nearby. Serena was running forward even before all of the stones had disappeared. Tau looked disoriented, about to pass out, but Serena grabbed him with all the strength she could muster.

"How do we stop it?" she screamed. "How do we stop those cables?"

"Hah…" Tau voiced, shaking his head. "Even if I knew…"

"Don't you realize what you've done? !" Serena screeched. Not being one for overt violence against another being, all she could do was yell at the man to knock some sense into him. "Rayquaza is only here for the energy. You suck it dry and leave the Gates intact, what do you think will happen when it gets loose? It'll go on a rampage and try to kill us all. How do we shut it down? !"

"I…" Tau looked conflicted for a moment, but soon adopted a resigned look as he shook his head. "I genuinely don't know. I was in charge of recruitment and strategy. Theta and Chi were-"

"Thanks for the advice," Rocky suddenly said and he clocked him on the head, knocking him out. Serena looked at him in exasperation. "Jerk…What? He wasn't going to tell us anything of worth. He said what we needed to know: Theta and Chi know how to dismantle the cables. So, I'll secure this guy and keep watch over this thing until we know how to destroy it."

That wasn't the point to Serena, who had wanted to ask Tau about much more than just how to destroy a machine and stop a mad dragon from running loose. She wanted to know the deeper question of  _why_  he was part of all this in the first place. Why any of them were a part of it…and most importantly, what they were trying to do when they went through the time portal. Astrid clapped Serena on the back.

"He's right, for now. Let's join the battle against those other two and get some answers," Astrid assured her. Serena could only nod in agreement and she called back Sylveon and Pancham. Both were looking tired, and she owed them a rest for all their hard work. "We should probably battle that Theta. If there's anything these Alpha Squad members have proven, it's that they're tough. I'm not so sure one trainer and a non-trainer will be enough."

"Good point," Serena agreed. She looked back at Rocky, and he offered a smirk and thumbs up, indicating that he had things taken care of here. It helped that most of the Beta Squad members were knocked out cold. Finally, Serena looked at Braixen, sharing a stare of their unbreakable bond. Then they ran off with Astrid and her Absol, skirting around the fountain and the fallen form of Skuntank to the opposite side of the market place. Large ice chunks surrounded the area, encasing several Team Neo members, and as they flit through, Serena could finally see Bethany's Vanilluxe battling Theta in the bright light while Bonnie, Squishy and Dedenne took out whatever Beta Squad members were remaining. Bonnie just smiled and waved as Squishy rammed into another Team Neo member. Serena just shook her head to reach Bethany's battle with Theta. The blue-haired woman was leaning casually against her contraption as she gave orders. Bethany didn't look nearly as calm.

It was no wonder as to why. Like before, Mothim was on the field, flitting around rapidly so that Vanilluxe couldn't catch sight of it. The good thing, however, was that Vanilluxe's antics were at least keeping Theta and Mothim occupied. Serena looked at Astrid who gave a small nod. Then they both turned to their Pokémon and silently gave them the orders they needed. Absol came to a stop, digging its claws into the road as its horn glowed purple before slashing outward. The crescent shaped energy flew right at Mothim. The Moth Pokémon flashed to the side right as Braixen sent a roaring wheel of Fire Blast at it. Even with the quick execution of the fire, Mothim still managed to dip low and zip through the spaces in the attack, making a beeline straight for them.

"Bug Buzz," Serena heard Theta call out calmly. Although, she was actually standing instead of leaning now. Mothim came up close to Absol and Braixen and a slight chittering was heard before the red waves pulsated out from its body. Braixen seemed to flinch a little from the attack and even Serena could swear that she heard the sound invading her own ears. Absol seemed the most affected of them all, howling in pain.

"Braixen, stop it with Hidden Power," Serena gasped out as best as she could. Despite struggling from the horrendous noise, Braixen still managed to clasp her wand tightly and raise it into the air. Five silver orbs circled around it for a moment before firing off towards Mothim. The moth ceased its attack, causing Absol to finally sink to its knees. Astrid ran to her Pokémon to check on its condition. In the meantime, Mothim was flying back and forth to avoid the Hidden Power attack. Serena grimaced a little; it was fast. Yet in the last second, it wasn't fast enough, and one of the orbs hit it on the side of its head.

"Vanilluxe, Ice Beam!" Bethany yelled. Now that Mothim was distracted, it was the perfect time to strike. Vanilluxe opened its mouth and the blue beam shot out at its opponent, colliding with the tip of one of Mothim's wings. It screeched a little, and Serena could see small deposits of ice on its wings, weighing it down a little and severely hampering its movement.

"Go, Absol," Astrid said quietly. "Shadow Claw."

"Sol!" Absol howled out as its claw was surrounded by shadows. It pounced towards the descending Mothim and suddenly ripped across it with its Shadow Claw. Mothim was blown back towards its trainer, the chunks of ice breaking off. Theta seemed to no longer look amused, running her hand through her hair. Bethany stepped forward.

"Theta, stop this," she said sternly. Theta, however, seemed to say nothing. "Please. I don't want to fight you. During the time you ran the radio station with Chi, you were like an aunt to me. I still feel that way now. Your show inspired me in countless ways. To travel, to make friends…so I just…"

"Beth, the time for talking is long past," Theta interrupted. She was striding forward a little now. "I understand your feelings. I feel the same way, and were there any other way, I would have taken it. But there isn't. We're doing what needs to be done."

"And what is it that needs to be done?" Astrid asked. Absol looked recovered now, or at least as recovered as it could be. "You bomb the League, steal our keystones and attack people, but your purpose seems as self-centered as anyone else's."

"I suppose we do," Theta concurred, giving a nod in Astrid's direction. "Maybe my own purpose is, but Dalton…well, he always had the greater vision. It inspired Chi and myself to join him, no matter how insane it all sounded."

Astrid scowled a little, and took a step forward. "Then the time for talking is indeed gone. Absol, Dark Pulse!" Absol opened its mouth and sent the spiraling black beam from its mouth as it aimed for Mothim.

"Air Slash to gain some distance!" Theta ordered coolly. Mothim flapped its wings quickly and near its thorax a blue sphere formed before firing out. As it fired, Mothim was sent backwards, away from their own Pokémon.

"Counter it with Mirror Shot!" Bethany yelled. Serena looked over to the girl and noticed that she had some tears in her eyes. The shining projectile collided with the Air Slash and sent a burst of air cascading over the four of them. "I can't believe you're forcing me to do this! That you'd attack your own town! I loved you, Theta! I loved you despite never really knowing you! But if I had to choose between my town and you…between my friends and you…there's no choice at all."

"Good…turn that fury into strength. Quiver Dance!" Mothim's body glowed again and once more, Serena lost track of it as it appeared to flash all around the area. It was getting to the point that it would soon be moving faster than the eye could see.

"No, I'm turning my love into strength," Bethany shot back. "I'm done with anger and strength. My Pokémon and I…my friends and I…we're taking a step forward for change. So I won't go down your road. I'm going to keep working hard every day to make my own dream come true."

"Change?" Theta questioned. "What do children know of change? They have everything provided for them. They don't know how hard change can hurt, or what must be done to obtain it. That's a cruel lesson that life hasn't taught you yet. Electroweb."

"Braixen, use short bursts of Flamethrower to burn all those webs down," Serena ordered. Her heart was clenching, going out towards Bethany. It can't have been easy, choosing to fight someone that she loved…someone that had gone down a different path. She still couldn't understand why Team Neo wanted to open the time portal and go down that path, but the one thing that she did know was that Bethany was her friend, and she would help her overcome this in any way that she could. Braixen apparently felt that way, too, firing off shot after shot of flame at the barrage of Electrowebs coming at them. Most of them were burned away, but too quickly, it was becoming too much for Braixen to handle, and one of them broke through, slamming into the clustered trio.

"Air Slash." Mothim once more formed the sphere of air by its body and then fired out, where it slammed into the three that were pinned down by the Electroweb. The web itself was torn to pieces but all of the Pokémon flew back, struggling to get up.

"That Quiver Dance is becoming a real problem," Astrid noted. Serena couldn't help but agree…they needed to find a way to slow it down…maybe make it heavier. Bethany touched her hand to Vanilluxe and then stood.

"I have an idea, but it'll require really great timing from Absol," she said to the older blonde trainer. Astrid tilted her head, evidently listening. "We can make it heavier by using ice and fire and while its distracted, you nail it."

"Let's do it, then," Astrid quickly concurred. Serena could only nod.

"Vanilluxe, use Hail!" Vanilluxe cried out loudly and Serena watched as the clouds around the area were obscured by lower, and more frigid, ones. Then the small chunks of ice began to fall in numerous quantities. Bethany looked to Serena and the honey-blonde knew that it was her turn. For a moment she watched Mothim try and fail to avoid all of the hail, despite its speed, and then Serena put a foot forward.

"Braixen, let's use our Fire Spin pillars to cover the whole battlefield."

"Brai!" Braixen acknowledged. She pointed her wand forward and then jabbed it numerous times. With each and every jab, a pillar of flame erupted, consuming the Hail. With every passing second, the entire field became consumed with steam and falling hail, leaving Mothim with nowhere to turn. Its shape flitted through the steam as a shadow, but it seemed lost and confused, unable to find its way out. All three of the girls watched the progress until finally, it hovered in place, what it thought was a safe place, for just a moment.

That area wasn't safe.

"Now!" Astrid commanded. Absol had zero hesitation, firing its crescent Psycho Cut right at Mothim. It sailed through the steam and made contact with a loud sound. Braixen and Vanilluxe both ended their attacks to see that Mothim had fallen quite far. More than that, Theta looked surprised. Then she smiled.

"You've grown strong on your travels, Beth. I'm glad. Glad you found something while traveling," she said, taking another step forward. "Now I don't have to keep holding back."

 _Holding back?_  Serena questioned in her mind. Did it mean that this entire time, Theta hadn't been going all out? Serena looked to Bethany to see how she was taking this, finding that the tears were gone, replaced with a stoic look.

"You know…" the turquoise-haired girl began, "there's something I never noticed until now. In every single battle we've fought against you and Chi…not once have you sent out Litleo."

"Very astute, Beth," Theta commented, and Serena could swear to hearing the sadness in her voice. "Litleo's gone."

"Do you mean…?"

"She left us. Many years ago in the Orange Islands. There was a crisis during our travels there, and Litleo joined the ranks of Pokémon to travel there and help out. She never returned. For a very long time it made me wonder why…why no matter how much I looked, I could never find her. And then at some point, I stopped wondering and decided that I didn't care for searching. I wanted Litleo back, and so did Chi. She was like our child…and when we lost her, you were almost a replacement for that void left in our hearts. But it wasn't enough…it would never be enough…so we needed to change things. Before long, Dalton came to us with his plan.

"But you know what the funniest part about all this was? The situation that made Litleo disappear…it shouldn't have had to happen in the first place!"

This was the most emotion that Serena had ever seen on the woman's face…well, it was really her first time seeing her, but it was enough. Theta and Chi were wounded individuals who had lost something precious, just like Zinnia had. And just like her, instead of dealing with the loss they wanted to actively change it…only this time their actions as compared to Zinnia's could have far more reaching implications. It was crazy, but at least now they understood.

"Brace yourself, Bethany," Theta finally called out, "because I'm going to show you  _my_  pain, and why all of this needs to be done."

* * *

"Luxray, watch out!" Clemont yelled. The shadow was snaking along the ground towards the advancing trio of Clemont, Korrina and Christopher, striking them with impunity at the first moment that it had to strike. Luxray growled out as the shadow struck its jaw and forced him backwards. Clemont looked around, catching sight of the bespectacled Chi. The older, balding man looked tired. Behind them lay strewn the various forms of Beta Squad members that they had taken out. To the sides were Lucario and Crawdaunt, each of them separated from one another. "Use Electric Terrain!"

"Luxray!" Luxray howled out, its body imbued with an electric aura that sprung out to all sides in their quadrant, making the area crackle and brim with electrostatic. The most interesting thing of note to Clemont, however, was that the cable machine was hardly effected at all. Chi appeared to take note of this.

"It is quite the capable invention," he spoke out. As he did so, he removed his glasses and cleaned them while Doublade returned to his side. "I don't approve of such abhorrent methods, but capturing Rayquaza and siphoning off its Mega Energy to make the time portal appear…well, it was the only way for my wife to move on. I cannot blame her, either."

"Your wife?" Korrina asked in surprise and confusion. Clemont already had a pretty good idea of who he was talking about.

"Do you realize that these kinds of inventions are wrong?" Clemont asked, stepping forward himself. "Machines should be used to help people, not hurt."

"I am helping people," Chi answered calmly. "I'm helping Dalton and my wife to change the world. Change it for the better."

"You're changing it for yourself!" Clemont said angrily. "I don't know what happened, but none of that matters when you use science as a way to better only yourself. On my honor as an inventor, I'll see to it that your machines get destroyed and that whatever you're trying to accomplish gets stopped here." He was almost shaking with repressed fury now. Before, he had just considered Team Neo as someone who needed to be stopped, but now that they cared so little for the lives of others…Korrina stepped forward next to him and put a hand on his back.

"It's all right, Clemont. We won't let them get away with this," she assured him. He took some strength from that. "Hey, bald guy. How about this? We beat you, you admit defeat and tell us how to dismantle these machines."

"I suppose that would be the honorable thing to do…" Chi noted, a thoughtful look on his face. After a moment's thought, he nodded. "Very well. I'll tell you everything I can… _if_  you defeat us, that is."

"Great. Take the first strike. Night Slash." Christopher's command had come out of nowhere as Crawdaunt leapt from out of the darkness of the forest and straight at Doublade. The Sword Pokémon didn't even move, bringing up a shield that Crawdaunt hit, but ultimately bounced off of.

"Ready, Lucario?" Korrina called and her Pokémon grunted at her. The Shalour Gym Leader raised her hand up and pressed the keystone on her glove. The area was filled with even more blinding light than before. Clemont looked above to see if there was any change to the energy flowing through the area, and he exhaled in relief at the fact that it wasn't just sucking in all vestiges of Mega Energy. The extra light vanished and Mega Lucario leapt forward, sending an Aura Sphere straight at Doublade.

"Wait, Korrina-" Clemont tried to warn her; to remind her that Doublade wouldn't be affected. Lucario was already on the move, however, pulling out his two glowing bones. Doublade appeared to watch the Aura Sphere draw closer right before it sailed through its body. The bright light of the sphere served as enough distraction and Lucario's Bone Rush slammed into its side, sending it careening over towards Crawdaunt.

"Now, Crabhammer!" Crawdaunt prepared to intercept Doublade, and once it was within range, the Rogue Pokémon slammed its watery claw down on it, right towards the ground. "End it quick. Guillotine."

"Craw!" Crawdaunt sounded out, its claw glowing a brilliant white amongst the general green glow. Then it brought it down, only to once more be rebuffed by a Protect attack. In the midst of that protective shield, Doublade floated back up into the air, sending Crawdaunt flying off of it.

"Luxray, use Wild Charge now!" Luxray once more bounded forward, his body now wreathed in the electrical attack, juiced up even more by the Electric Terrain being active. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon charged forward just as Doublade's shield dropped. Their opponent glowed a silvery color, indicating the use of Iron Head and it charged right at Luxray. The two met in mid-attack and Luxray looked to be struggling against the attack while sparks flew off in multiple directions. "Come on, Luxray! I know you can do this!"

"Luuuuuux…ray!" he finally roared out, pushing through Doublade and sending it flying. Doublade went spiraling but managed to right itself just in time as the recoil shook Luxray's body. Chi was more than ready to take advantage of the momentary distractions.

"Shadow Sneak and Fury Cutter," he ordered. Doublade flitted towards the ground and once more melted into the shadows. Luxray, having barely recovered was looking around wildly. So were the other Pokémon and their trainers. Clemont was worried, now, wondering just where this Pokémon was going to pop up again. Then Lucario shouted out, drawing his attention over. Doublade suddenly materialized, slashing upward with glowing blades across Lucario's chest. The Aura Pokémon stumbled backward and prepared to strike…only for Doublade to disappear once again.

"Luxray, use your X-Ray vision and find it," Clemont ordered. Luxray's eyes lit up and his head turned slowly, scanning the area. Clemont was following his partner's sights, searching for any clue. Then Luxray cried out, right as Doublade reemerged near Crawdaunt, jabbing it with another Fury Cutter from beneath it. "Korrina!"

"Right! Lucario, use Metal Sound!" Lucario put his palms together and sent a white sound wave straight at Doublade. It was suitably powerful, ringing in his ears. It was no wonder that Doublade was shuddering. "Get in there, Lucario!"

"You too, Crawdaunt!"

"Let's make it a pincer attack!" Clemont called. Luxray's eyes returned to normal and he went charging at Doublade as Crawdaunt and Lucario also approached it using a Night Slash and Bone Rush respectively.

"Block them," Chi said stoically. Doublade appeared to have recovered just in time and its blades glowed white. Then it began to spin, the swords suddenly making a protective barrier as Lucario and Crawdaunt approached. It was such an all-encompassing defense, that they both needed to back up to avoid the attack. That wasn't stopping Clemont, though.

"Leap above it and use Thunder Fang!" he ordered. Right before Luxray got into the blades' radius, he jumped, sailing overhead. Once he was directly above Doublade, he dropped, the lightning lined fangs surrounding his mouth as he chomped down onto the sheathes that made up a part of Doublade's body. Thunder exploded outward, made all the more potent by the electricity flowing through the area. Then Luxray leapt back and Doublade was twitching a little, if still pulling itself back together. His allies took that as the sign to strike, rushing back in with their attacks.

"Dodge with Shadow Sneak!" Chi called out…but Doublade didn't move at all. It was flinching from Luxray's attack. First came the purple slash through its sheathes, followed by a Bone Rush that knocked it upward like a baseball. That hit drew everyone's attentions to the sky.

_BOOM!_

For a moment, Clemont could have sworn that Doublade was the one exploding. At least, that was what he thought until two more explosions followed and Clemont soon caught sight of what had happened: Team Neo's airships were streaking downward, one heading for the forest, another for the lake, and the last one for the edge of the marketplace closest to the main entrance. All three of them landed in flaming heaps, the one in town breaking apart onto the main street. That distraction was enough.

"Lu!" Lucario cried out as Doublade came sailing back down and he smacked it once more with a Bone Rush. Doublade flew over…far over, and it quickly collided with a Mothim. Clemont turned his head and noticed Serena standing some ways over, her eyebrows raised in a sense of amusement. Bonnie was a little farther off, riding Squishy as he plowed down other enemies. He wanted to sigh; his little sister was having too much fun.

"Chi, you weren't able to win yet?" Theta's voice echoed over the area. Clemont looked over and noticed the bluenette was standing closer to them. It looked almost like their two battlefields were about to merge into one.

"Their teamwork is better than I expected…and I was distracted," the balding man admitted, coming to stand next to his wife. Theta just reached out and cupped his face. "I also promised to tell them how to shut the cables down if they won."

"That's fine, dear," she responded, placing her forehead against his. "If we lose, they've earned it. But perhaps it's time to show them some teamwork of our own."

"I quite agree."

"You're not the only ones with teamwork," Bethany shouted out, stepping forward. Christopher also stepped forward to take his girlfriend's hand. He didn't say anything, as per usual, but his silence was enough. Clemont and Korrina also walked a little forward to take a place next to Serena and Astrid.

"No holds barred, then?" Theta asked, a grin on her face. She looked like she was enjoying the battle. Next to him, Korrina wheeled her arm in circles.

"Awwww, yeah! Six on two, Lucario! Let's go!"

Chi had already gotten started, with Doublade once more sinking back into the shadows. Astrid seemed to be having none of that, as Absol launched into an attack as soon as the combined battle began. Clemont adjusted his glasses, watching as Absol leapt into the air and shot a swirling Dark Pulse along the ground until it collided with Doublade and tossed it up in the air. There was no time to be distracted by anything; he'd be able to keep the town safe and stop their misuse of science as long as he kept his head in the game.

"Hit it with Fire Blast!" Serena called out from next to him. Clemont's gaze sharpened and he saw Braixen send out its blast of fire, which impacted with a tumbling Doublade.

"Luxray, use Thunder Fang on Mothim!" Clemont ordered, throwing his hand out. He noticed a second later that his hand had brushed against Korrina's. She barely reacted to it, though she did give it a squeeze right as Luxray lunged at the Moth Pokémon. Over the newly restored din of battle, Clemont didn't hear Theta's command, but watched as Mothim easily dodged and then red, pulsing waves collided with Luxray, slamming him backwards. His Pokémon rolled along the ground as Mothim went zipping for Lucario.

"Use Electroweb!" Theta called out. Mothim fired out an electrically charged mess of strings aiming right for Lucario. The Aura Pokémon acted faster than his trainer, batting the first of them aside with a Bone Rush, but the second one seemed almost right behind it.

"Luxray, intercept!" Luxray quickly rolled back onto all fours and zapped forward, small sparks of electricity flying from his fur before he got between the Electroweb and Lucario, the attack bouncing off harmlessly. Then Lucario leapt over, using Luxray's back as a mount. His fist glowed red and he came slamming into Mothim, which went spiraling backwards.

"Now, freeze it over with Ice Beam!" Bethany yelled. Clemont turned his head to see Vanilluxe cry out loudly with a frigid beam firing out at Mothim.

"Dear, if you would," Theta said. Chi appeared to bow a little.

"Of course, do what you need to. Doublade, Protect." Doublade gave a sharp cry, floating downward as Mothim flitted upward. Doublade's green shield was erected in a wide shape, preventing any kind of attack from them. Behind it, Mothim was flickering back and forth, evidently using Quiver Dance to get even stronger while they were stuck, unable to do anything but watch.

"Dedenne, use Nuzzle!" cried Bonnie's voice. Clemont whipped around with wild eyes and saw Bonnie now holding a normal looking Squishy as Dedenne flew at both Mothim and Doublade like some kind of fastball.

"Ne ne ne!" the Antenna Pokémon cried cheerily as he rubbed his cheeks and collided with both of their opponents. The shield dropped instantly as paralysis set in.

"The brat can fight, too? !" Theta gasped. Dedenne landed and scurried back over to Bonnie.

"I'm not a brat," his sister said with her hands proudly on her hips. "I'm Bonnie, Pokémon trainer extraordinaire!"

"Denene!"

"Brlrb!" Squishy chimed in happily.

"Thanks, Bonnie," Serena said, throwing her fist forward. Braixen took it as a cue to slam her wand on the ground and send a pillar of flame erupting from beneath their opponents.

"Crawdaunt, use Crabhammer!"

"Freeze that Crabhammer with Ice Beam!" Bethany ordered. Vanilluxe faced Crawdaunt as it charged forward with a blue-glowing claw. Then it fired and the claw froze up just when Crawdaunt leapt into the air. The Rogue Pokémon then came crashing down upon Mothim with a powerful blow, the ice transferring onto the wings of Mothim and weighing it down. All that was left was to take care of Doublade before Mothim could get up.

"Korrina!" Clemont called. The blonde smiled wildly at him, making his heart beat a little faster, and threw her fist out. He met it with his own. "Guys, let's finish this!"

He wasn't sure how they'd arrived at the commands they did, but Lucario leapt forward and mounted Luxray like a steed, drawing his blades of bone to his hand. Luxray charged forward towards Doublade as it recovered.

"Strike with Fury Cutter!" Doublade pointed itself at its opponents and shot forward. Luxray kept going, changing directions as needed. Doublade would head in for impact, only to be stopped by Lucario's blade as it fended it off. Doublade would then circle around, but Lucario wouldn't be stopped, swiping back and forth as the two engaged in a practical sword fight until, finally, Lucario landed a clean hit that sent it backwards.

"Absorb all your energy into a Wild Charge!" Clemont ordered. Korrina looked at him and he smirked. She seemed to understand where he was going with this.

"Charge up an Aura Sphere! Absorb that electricity!" she cried out with a clenched fist. Lucario threw its arms back, charging up the glowing blue sphere. At the same moment, Luxray's body was summoning every bit of electricity that it could to it, a large amount funneling into the Aura Sphere.

"Now, cloak yourself with Swift!" Luxray practically barked in acknowledgement as stars upon stars flew forward from Luxray's tail swishing back and forth. Doublade seemed to stare in confusion as they gathered. Then Lucario fired the attack. The sphere blasted through the area, crackling with all manner of electricity. Thanks to the cover of stars, Doublade didn't see it coming until the sphere struck dead on, driving straight through Doublade as it hung in place. Then Luxray slammed into it with Wild Charge as Lucario leapt off and crushed it into the ground with a final Bone Rush.

"Finish them off. Psycho Cut!" Astrid called out. The smoke from the impact cleared, showing Doublade and Mothim within an impacted crater, just in time for Absol to whip its head and send a purple crescent of energy raining down upon the pair. It created another explosion that made the other trainers cover their eyes until the dust could recede. Doublade and Mothim were down.

"Yay! I knew you could do it, big brother!" Bonnie cheered, running over to him. She held her hand out, and despite being exasperated, Clemont gave her the high five she deserved. "I was a big help, right?"

"You did a good job, Bonnie," he informed her. At that, she threw her hands in the air happily. The battle completed, Clemont now turned his attentions towards getting the information they needed. Christopher was already there, along with Lucario, who held his bones out like swords to pin Theta and Chi against one of the Gates.

"Talk," was the only thing that Christopher said. Neither did for a moment, until Chi sighed.

"We designed them to be the most advantageous for our plan," he explained. "In other words, if keystones were to activate everything…"

"Mega Stones, then," Astrid huffed out. "You need a Mega Stone to unlock the device and deactivate it."

"That's about the estimation…" Theta scoffed. Clemont stepped forward to the closest device, still emitting its green beam of energy to take a look at it. It was certainly a marvel of an invention and, stooping down to examine it, he could see the small box where it seemed the energy was being generated.

"Yeah, it looks like it runs on some kind of keystone energy…it would probably short-circuit and deactivate if we put a Mega Stone in there."

"Then let's try it!" Korrina said, pumping her fist a little. Lucario nodded as light flashed around him, putting him back to normal. Then he reached for his wrist. Clemont quickly shook his head.

"I think they're on a connected circuit," he said. "We would need three Mega Stones at once to unlock it. Is that right?" Chi merely blinked and nodded to confirm his theory. Turning back to the machine, Clemont stroked his chin a little while looking at it. The marketplace was surprisingly quiet with their enemies defeated, allowing him a chance to think. They  _did_  have three Mega Stones, but something was worrying about all this. In fact, his very thoughts were spoken aloud by someone else.

"I don't think we should release those cables yet," gasped the voice of Diantha. Everyone in the area turned to see the Champion hobbling over, still grasping her shoulder, being supported by Gardevoir. "Once we do, Rayquaza will be free to do whatever needs to be done. That could very well destroy Nova Town from what I'm told."

"That's true…" Clemont mused. So then the issue became a paradox.  _If we stop Team Neo, we have to free Rayquaza. If we don't free Rayquaza, Team Neo succeeds…_ No matter what choice they chose, it would be a damning one.

"Why don't we just destroy those Gates and the fountain?" Korrina suggested. Clemont's mouth twitched a little, still not liking the idea. Bethany was the quickest to point it all out.

"Not possible. They're the same as the meteorites, which means only Rayquaza, and Mega Rayquaza at that, could destroy them."

"Not to mention we don't have the number of Pokémon able to protect us as we did last time," Christopher pointed out. "The second we let that thing loose, either we destroy it or it just obliterates us."

All of their points were valid. Clemont knew this and his brain was working into overdrive. Last time, he had to build a device in order to solve the problem. But he wondered if it would be so simple this time. Continuing to stroke his chin mindlessly, Clemont looked around the entire ruined marketplace, occasionally flitting over to the beam of energy and the Mark Omega above it. Ash was up there, no doubt, trying to get the keystones back. All of it was to put an end to this plot…and maybe getting the keystones back could either halt the expansion of the time portal or obliterate it altogether. But that didn't solve the bigger problems of the portal  _existing_  or Rayquaza and its very likely anger.

 _No_ , he realized to himself, looking over at the devices trapping Rayquaza and over to the brightly glowing gates, noting the parked hovercraft.  _There's only one true way to stop all of this, now that we know. But I know I can't do it alone._

He didn't have to. The sound of spluttering jetpacks filled the air and everyone in the vicinity turned to see Team Rocket dropping from the sky. They were screaming, Wobbuffet in a freefall, but they still landed decently. All too quickly they removed their jetpacks and kicked them away, causing the devices to take off into the air and explode. Jessie laughed.

"Team Neo's airships have officially met their doom!" she proclaimed.

"And it's not a moment too soon!" James concurred, drawing everyone to stare at them.

"Those ships went boom!"

"Wobbuffet!" Their proclamations were met with silence, but Clemont smiled at their arrival and intrusion, stepping over to them with glinting glasses and a smile.

"Just who I was looking for. Let's build an invention to save the town. Team Neo was going to use science to doom history, so we'll use science to save it."

* * *

"Vern!" came the shrill cry of Noivern as he slammed against the pink-purple barrier separating him from the top of the Mark Omega. Ash frowned, especially when Pikachu sent a Thunderbolt at the barrier that did nothing. In fact, nothing at all was working, though he should have figured that when  _Rayquaza's_  attacks had done nothing. Peering down below, Ash saw the poor dragon stuck, writhing within the cables. He really hoped Serena would be okay down there. And everyone else, of course.

"Pika!" Pikachu said, pointing upwards. Ash followed his partner's fingers and noticed the bottom of the Mark Omega looming just above them. Squinting a little bit, he noticed that the bottom of the Mark Omega was below the barrier, almost like it was girded against all of the energy.

To Ash, it was an access point.

"Noivern, use Boomburst on the bottom there. Combine it with Thunderbolt!" he ordered. Noivern descended a little bit to get into position and then flew at the bottom, blasting soundwaves from its ears while Pikachu gave pinpoint accuracy with his Thunderbolt. The two attacks continually battered the bottom of the Mark Omega until it exploded outward, providing a hole to the interior. Ash needed no words to direct Noivern inside. His Pokémon shot forward, breaking through any of the twisted pieces of metal, or whatever made the airship, and brought him into an abandoned hallway. "Thanks, Noivern. Return."

"Pikapi, pika pika chu pika," Pikachu jabbered out, pointing in the only direction they could go. Ash nodded and Pikachu dropped to the floor like a guard. Looking around, Ash noticed that while the Mark Omega was significantly smaller than the last airship, there was still plenty of room to walk, probably three across. It was certainly large enough for whatever device they were using. Adjusting his hat a little, Ash set off down the hallway.

"Where do you think Dalton is, buddy?" Ash asked as they walked along. It was eerily silent in the airship. Pikachu just shook his head. There were a number of doors along the hall, but the red lights overhead told Ash that they were closed. Actually, only one had a blue light overhead: the double doors at the end of the hall. Steeling themselves for a battle, Ash and Pikachu walked up to the door, it sliding open as soon as they approached it.

Pikachu leapt into the room, cheeks sparking, but Ash was a little slower to follow, taking in the sight of the very obvious bridge. It wasn't as large as the last airship's bridge, only having a few seats, but it was no less alive with beeps and sounds. Most importantly, there was something alive in there: Merle was at a control panel, flicking a few switches. When she finished, she turned back to them with a snarl on her lips.

"I knew it was you…" she growled out. Ash put himself into a defensive posture.

"Where's Seamus?" he asked. She didn't answer. "Where's Dalton?"

"Grrrah!" was the only response he received. Merle ran forward, hands extended at her sides, fingers bending like claws. She was livid; there was no doubt about that.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash ordered. He really didn't want to get in another physical fight with this girl, having the distinct feeling that he'd gotten lucky last time. Pikachu glowed white a moment and dashed forward as Merle ran at the pair.

"You!" she screamed. Pikachu impacted with the girl's chest, but it seemed to serve as no more than an annoyance to her, and she swatted at his best buddy. Thankfully, Pikachu used his tail to bound up to the girl's shoulder and let off a Thunderbolt. The girl shuddered and her fingers clenched tightly, like it was difficult for her to endure. Then she rolled forward, tossing Pikachu from her shoulders. "You will not hurt father!"

"I wouldn't have to or want to!" Ash yelled, looking over to Pikachu, who was back on his feet and running for them. He nodded and Pikachu ran forward even quicker. "You guys are doing stuff to hurt people. If you weren't, I wouldn't be fighting you."

"Shut. Up!" The girl was beyond reason, running at him, her hand outstretched like it was about to claw his eyes out. What was wrong with this girl? It was like she was acting desperate. Before, she had seemed so calm, but now…

"Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Pikachu leapt onto one of the chairs, using it to get air and slam onto Merle's back with a glowing tail. Ash struck now, punching her in the face. Merle was tossed backwards, tumbling over the chairs. She was back on her feet right away, though she gasped and clutched her cheek.

"You can't…I won't let you stop father…not when we can save her…not when we can save…mother…" Ash's brow furrowed. Was that Dalton's aim? He was trying to bring back his wife? He wanted to change history, change the entire world just to save his wife? It was insane…though now that he thought of it, it was no more insane than what Zinnia was trying to do before. Only this time, Dalton was willing to involve  _everyone_. Time was up to think about it, because Merle was running right back at him.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball!" Ash yelled before she could reach him.

"Pika! Pika pika pika pika pi-" Pikachu's cry was suddenly strangled and Ash had to look to see that he was caught floating in midair, his Electro Ball only partially formed, surrounded by a blue tinge. Merle had stopped, too, looking at another area of the bridge. Ash turned to there to see she was looking at another door located next to what appeared to be healing capsules, or more specifically, she was looking towards the person at the door.

"Seamus…" he breathed out. His Alakazam was next to him, and looking through the light, he could see tear tracks on the boy's face. Seamus lowered his head and Alakazam dropped Pikachu, the Electro Ball flying out through a window, letting a gust of air in the room. Ash covered his face at the sudden gust, but when he looked up, Merle was dashing past Seamus, done with the fighting. Ash ran for her, only for his own body to be stopped in its tracks. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry…I can't…" he said quietly. Ash looked at him, straight into his eyes, and could see a haze there; a conflict mixed in with the tears. "I can't let you hurt them…"

"I don't  _want_  to hurt them, Seamus. But you know what they're doing is wrong," Ash argued, gritting his teeth as Alakazam held him there. "This isn't you."

"Isn't it?" he responded. "I…I can't change, Ash. He told me that, gave me time to think about it, and…No matter what I tell myself, I can't. Dalton, Travis, Merle…they proved it."

"They're wrong!"

"Pika!" Pikachu suddenly came out of nowhere with a Quick Attack, slamming into Alakazam before letting loose a Thunderbolt. Ash stumbled forward but was moving again. He ran right at Seamus now, but the blonde boy didn't move an inch until Ash wound up and punched him right across the face. Seamus fell to the floor and Ash realized; all of his fight was gone. All of his conviction had disappeared, swallowed by the abyss that was his teacher. None of that mattered, nor the bandages around his chest. Ash tackled him, slamming him to the ground.

"You  _can_  change!" he screamed. "They're wrong about you!"

"Then why haven't I?" he whispered. "Why haven't they?"

"Because changing isn't easy. It's just like training your Pokémon: you have to work at it every day. But you can't give up like this. If you give up…that's the moment you stop changing!" Ash yelled, hoping to get it through to Seamus. The blond was now staring up at him, some of the confusion in his eyes clearing. "You need to accept that change and keep trying…and sometimes…sometimes that means facing your past. Owning your mistakes."

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Seamus suddenly started to blubber. Tears were streaming from his face, draining into his mouth, and he simply looked so broken. Ash could understand. He had been there, not a few weeks ago. "You've done nothing but try to be a friend to me, and I…But… _She's_  my friend, too. I have to save her."

"Then save her," Ash insisted. He stood now, holding his hand out to the lost boy. "But do it by showing her and Dalton where they're wrong. They won't listen otherwise. I'll help you."

"You will?" All Ash could do was smile brightly.

"What else are friends for?" he said, and he finally reached down to grab Seamus' hand and pull him up to his feet. The tears were still there, as odd a sight as it was, but he reached up to wipe them away. "They're your past. You're moving towards a future."

"But I always feel like I just keep wanting to go back to them, because they made me who I am," Seamus said. Ash reached forward, clasping the boy's shoulder

"Of course, you do. Sometimes, even I feel like I'm stepping back, but that doesn't stop me moving forward. Like in Unova, I did even worse in the League than before, but it didn't stop me from coming to Kalos and doing the best I could," Ash assured him. "Facing them…saving them from themselves…maybe that's how you'll move forward."

"Right…" Seamus said, his shoulder sagging. Ash noticed him wince and place a hand on his abdomen. Clearly he was still wounded. It explained how his thinking had gotten so muddled. Wounded delusions or something…he was never very savvy on all that medical stuff. "Sorry for causing problems. I'm okay now."

"No problem. And don't worry, we'll take Dalton together!" Ash said, slamming his fist into his palm. Seamus nodded, taking his pokeball back out and calling Alakazam back. It was enough for Ash to know he was back on his own side. He had only saved him from attacking Merle because she was his friend, and even knowing what she was doing, that didn't change. Now, though, he was determined; the glint in his eye was saying so. Their conflict resolved, Pikachu hopped back onto his shoulder and Seamus moved towards the door he had come through. He stopped with his hand on it.

"I felt lost." Ash came up short, listening to his words. "I thought I had changed, but when I fought Travis, it just reminded me of who I was, and I gave in. Then Dalton got in my head, made me doubt myself. He was always good at that: getting in your head. He asked me to make a choice, whether I would join him or not; convincing me we could all be together again, like a family. Then, laying here, hurt…I just…started thinking the wrong way. I'm over that now, thanks to you. Dalton is…was…my past. Even if I wanted those times back…they're long gone. We're all too different. We've gone down different paths, and…I need to face him, and cut my ties to move forward."

"Then let's go." That was the push Seamus needed. He slid the door open and began to climb upward. Ash noticed that there were stairs leading up behind the door, instead of a ladder. He followed the blond, noticing the new sense of determination in the blond's body as he walked up. It didn't take long for him to open the door that led to the very top of the airship and stride onto its surface. Ash wasn't far behind him.

His skin instantly felt like it was tingling, affected by all the energy that was in the area. The reason was pretty easy to guess. Ash looked forward, noticing the forest and the lake beyond the scope of the airship, but his eyes were focused on Dalton, the older man standing by the spire at the top of the deck. He seemed to be pulling something back from there and placing it over his breast while Merle was huffing to the side of him, still clutching her cheek. Dalton, awash in the hue of the energy on the airship, turned at the sound of their footsteps. He looked to sigh and then stepped away from the spire of energy, allowing him to be seen clearly.

"Your choice?" he called and the two boys pulled to a stop directly in front of him.

"Yes," Seamus answered from next to Ash. "You gave me time to think, and I've thought. I'm not your puppet, Dalton, and I'm not who I was."

"Yes…I can see that now…you  _are_  trying to change. That's somewhat of a pity," Dalton told him, his hand drawing back. Around his neck, Ash could see the four keystones, and his brow furrowed. They seemed to be held in some kind of casing, with Diantha's necklace sticking out of the one at the top. He took a step closer, giving him enough nearness to notice that the four were arranged like a triangle with the fourth keystone in the center of it. Dalton had hung them around his neck as if to guard them with his life. "I'm not sure whether to be proud or offended."

"I don't care, Dalton," Seamus snapped, himself taking a challenging step forward. Dalton also moved forward a few steps, Merle at his side, almost whimpering in pain. "But I do care about what you're doing and what you've done. Now that my head's cleared, I have to make you answer for that. No more running away."

"Oh? What is it you believe I've done to make you so angry with me?"

"Involving people who have nothing to do with you! And for what? To bring your wife back? Merle's mother? It's no different than what Zinnia tried to do in Ancien City. It's wrong." Dalton said nothing, staring with a quirked eyebrow. Ash's eyes were flitting between the both of them, waiting for one to make an actual physical move. He could feel the fight brewing, and judging from Pikachu's own body language, they were both ready. "And then involving your own daughter! Wasn't it bad enough that she lost her mother? It was really hard on her, but she was getting better. She was smiling again…but I haven't seen her do that once since you and your Team Neo started doing all this; dredging up all this crap!"

"I'm sorry, Seamus, but I believe you're mistaken about something," Dalton said. As Ash looked over to the dark haired man, he noticed that the man's eyes were filled with sadness, more than he would have expected. Dalton stepped to the side once more, patting Merle on the back. "It's okay, my dear. No more hiding your true self."

"Dalton…" Seamus growled, and then Dalton turned back to him, still with those sad eyes.

"You see, this beautiful thing…she's not my daughter." Ash wasn't sure what to say. In fact, he couldn't say anything. He could only watch. Watch as the form of Merle fell away from before his eyes. Hands became claws, a face became a snout, and cream colored skin turned to black fur and a red mane as soon as the girl let go of her cheek. No…not girl…because what was before the both of them was not a girl, but a Zoroark. "My daughter, Merle, died three years ago off the coast of Monsu Island in Hoenn."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This. This chapter. I have been building and keeping this secret for the whole story. From the beginning, Merle was always a Zoroark. She was never real. In fact, I dropped a lot of hints to this throughout the story: Merle's unbelievable strength; the fact we never see her throw a pokeball; the fact that Dalton never once referred to her as "daughter"; the picture of the three kids in Seamus' house; and the overwhelming factor that Team Neo didn't want to involve children in their war all spoke to this moment. Oh, not to mention her fighting style in general. So, yes, this was the big reveal I was waiting for. Please, tell me if it shocked you! Or if your mouth fell open! Or your eyes widened! I must have these answers!
> 
> Some other notes on this chapter. The plot is moving apace and a few motivations were revealed, with the bulk of them coming next chapter. Clemont now has a plan, but I've yet to reveal what it is, just to keep you all in suspense. Seamus has returned and still struggling with himself, though now he's prepared to face his past and change someone very resolute. I hope you all enjoyed the battles in this chapter…they were difficult but very fun to write! A fun note, though…I, er…actually forgot about Bonnie early in the chapter and so I had to find a way to write her back in, ha ha…But I found a great place to give her some major contribution! That and I was able to fulfill this idea of Luxray being a steed that Lucario would use to kick ass.
> 
> As we begin to near the climax of this story, I'm glad to see so many enjoying it and their words fill me with that zeal to bring you even better material. So, until the next chapter, please remember to Review and Dare to Be Silly.


	15. A Change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That moment you realize everyone has been talking about going on vacations…and then you notice you haven't been on one since you were 10…16 years ago…On another note, glad to see that I surprised everyone last chapter. But now is not the time for that chapter! Time for Chapter 15!

Chapter 15

A Change

His mouth was open, but no sound could come out. His eyes were staring, but he couldn't believe just what he was seeing. His ears were listening, but what was being said made no sense. None. Not a single speck at all.

But it was true.

Merle had never been real. She had never been a human. Every single interaction he'd had with who he thought was Dalton's daughter…it all seemed like a lie now. Ash swallowed, his head going light for a second. It was too much to take in. Way too much to process…even if it made some things make sense. Like how she could fight Greninja to a near draw, or smash cases open with a punch.

Or how Dalton never called her his daughter. Not once.

Ash turned his head, looking to Seamus, wondering how he was taking this sudden revelation that had floored him. The blond was standing there, stock still, his arms shaking and his lower lip quivering. His mouth was parted in an expression of shock as he stared at the Zoroark. For its part…or maybe it was still a her…this whole thing had just turned Ash's brain upside down. Either way, Zoroark, now that it had dropped its illusion, looked healthier. It was easily possible that most of its energies had gone to maintaining its form no matter what, but now that it wasn't needed, it was perfectly fine. It explained why it had been so feral earlier.

"I'm sorry, Seamus…" Dalton was speaking, and finally Ash could hear something more than the wind and the brimming energy. Seamus still wasn't saying anything, his eyes bulging as it looked like he had been winded by this particular reveal. "I know how close you and Merry were."

"She's…she's…" Seamus gasped out, and he appeared to clutch his chest, looking very much like he wanted to vomit right then and there. Ash couldn't blame him. "She's dead?"

"Yes," was Dalton's simple reply. "I didn't want to tell you, quite honestly. I wanted to spare you that kind of pain."

"You…you thought it would spare me pain?" Seamus said. Ash looked down a little, noticing that his fist was clenching.

"Merle was dear to you." Seamus looked to be buckling under devastation, or possibly grief, but Dalton seemed to pay no heed to that. Or maybe he did, and just felt the need to explain himself. "I needed her for the role she needed to play, though."

"Did Travis…Did he know?"

"No one knew except for us two," Dalton concluded. That itself was a brick to the chest. He hadn't just kept it from Seamus but from everyone on his own team. "Maybe I didn't want to admit it to them, or maybe it was because the truth would seem so self-serving. I'm not sure, but it worked to our advantage. In the end, though, I caused you the kind of pain I didn't wish to cause."

"How long?" Seamus finally asked, his voice deeper and darker than it had been before. "How long were you deceiving everyone, and why?"

"Why? That's easy. Information leaks can be everywhere…like a certain Sinnoh Elite Four member that we purposely targeted," Dalton explained. Ash watched now as light briefly wrapped around Zoroark and it turned into the form of Aaron of the Sinnoh Elite Four before turning back once again. "As for how long…shortly after the incident at Monsu Island…Zoroark must have felt my grief with me. No surprise considering how much she loved Merry as her own mother…she transformed into her, even when she was a Zorua, to keep me company. It all just escalated from there."

Ash blinked, still unable to say a thing in the face of all this, which was unusual to begin with. Now he understood, though; he understood what had become of that girl and her Zorua in the photo. Seamus was quaking now, but Ash could tell that it was currently from rage rather than any other emotion. He stepped forward with a snarl on his lips.

"Is that why you're doing this?" he yelled, his teeth bared viciously. Zoroark moved to stand in front of Dalton like a shield. "Are you doing this because of your pain? Because you want your daughter back in this world? That makes you no different from  _Zinnia_."

"I have no idea who Zinnia is, but you couldn't be further from-"

"Oh, I'm wrong, am I?" Seamus roared angrily. "Look around you, Dalton! Look at the town that Merry was born in! You really think she'd want all of this? ! Do you really think she'd want you to…to…hurt the people she loved? Opening a time portal because you couldn't handle your  _grief-_ "

Zoroark suddenly snarled loudly, cutting off Seamus' tirade and he looked at the fox with his own look of disgust and disdain. Dalton just patted the fox's head kindly. "I don't care about bringing Merry back into the world…not as it is now. She's dead. She's been dead for three years. I will always carry that pain in my heart and soul. I would never want to forget it. Bringing her back; changing time to make it happen would only twist the knife in deeper, because deep down, I would always know."

"Then what do you need a time portal for?" Ash finally asked, his voice finding itself. Dalton didn't look at him, instead staring off wistfully into space. After a moment of this contemplation, he looked at the opposing pair before him.

"I have a question, Ash Ketchum: do you remember what happened at Monsu Island?" Ash furrowed his brow. The name sounded horribly familiar, but he couldn't seem to place it, or remember it. Dalton appeared to chuckle at this. "No? I'm not surprised. Given the exploits of yours that I've heard, it was probably a footnote. But for me…it was  _everything_."

"Get to your point, Dalton!" Seamus yelled angrily. Ash saw his fist clenching around one of his pokeballs before returning his attentions to Dalton, who looked to almost be crying.

"Monsu Island in Hoenn is where the great legendary terrors Groudon and Kyogre clashed three years ago," Dalton explained. Ash's eyes widened. He remembered now. How could he forget? Pikachu had been possessed by the Blue Orb. Or was it the Red Orb? The details didn't matter to him or his partner, but they clearly mattered to Dalton. "At the time, Merle and I, along with Zoroark here, when she was a Zorua…well, we were traveling the regions. It was like a small vacation for a father and daughter still reeling from loss. We were near Monsu Island on a small fishing expedition when the storm started.

"Groudon and Kyogre clashed. I only learned after the fact of who was involved with this particular scuffle of legends. Honestly, I thought it was just a storm at first…until the tsunami hit. The ship went overboard. I can still remember the feeling of the water in my lungs, and Merle's hand reaching on to me, clasping desperately until another wave broke us apart…"

"You mean…"

"Merle couldn't hold on," Dalton said. That was all that needed to be said in order to be understood. "I found her in the ocean, buried her on the coast. We grieved for days…and then I saw the news report. I saw a report about how two crime syndicates, Team Magma and Team Aqua, had tried to gain control over these Legendaries, and it made them fight, resulting in the tsunami that killed my daughter."

"And how is that any different from what you're doing now?" Seamus demanded. "Controlling Rayquaza, bombing places, forming your own crime syndicate…You're no better than they are, Dalton!"

"I'm not trying to be!" Dalton yelled out. It was one of the few times he'd gotten his point across by yelling, making it more effective than normal. "I'm doing what needs to be done!"

"And just what 'needs to be done'?"

"Change." Pikachu quirked his head on the ground, and Ash felt himself emulating his best buddy. "Change is what needs to be done, and this is the best way to do it at a root level. My daughter didn't die because some legendaries decided to battle it out where we were. She didn't even die because some criminal upstarts tried to make their mark on the world. She died…she died because the people who should have stopped it all from even happening in the first place failed."

"What?" Ash asked. He was genuinely confused by Dalton's words now. Who had failed? And who was supposed to stop whatever was happening when they didn't know it was?

"The League…I learned in time that they had the Pokémon G-Men looking into it. One G-Man…just one. Against a whole criminal organization. An organization that they  _knew_  was up to no good. What did they think would happen? And why didn't they send more men before a disaster had to occur…before I had to lose my daughter?" Dalton looked to be heaving in his breaths now, almost affected by the speech he was giving. "Once I learned that, I knew things couldn't stay the same. The League was useless. A dying organization that focused more on their Conferences than on making sure traveling people and trainers were safe."

"Is that why you attacked the League Summit?" Ash's question drew Dalton's attention. "Because they were meeting about stuff like that and you wanted to make a statement."

"I guess," Dalton admitted with a shrug. "Truth be told, the Summit was a lucky break that just so happened to coincide with the finalization of our plans. Had we finalized any other time we could have attacked any number of things. The Lumiose Conference, or the Kalos Team Tournament, for example. But we had to wait in order to find the right stone."

"Stone?" Seamus spat. Ash could feel the tension radiating off of his body, and he was starting to get the sense that Seamus was finished with Dalton, ready to take the fight straight to him.

"The stone that was a chunk of the meteorites. Those that fell three thousand years ago. The ones that make up the Four Gates. It was very difficult to find the perfectly shaped stone that had been passed through the ages. If it weren't for Tau's connections and Chi's mechanical expertise, I don't think we would have ever found it. But we needed it in order to make the Gates link up and form the time portal. After all, the keystones could only connect with the fountain, but we needed the whole system. We were planning for the Lumiose Conference when the Summit was announced and plans changed. It also provided the perfect moment to get the Champion's keystone hassle-free all while taking her out of the picture. Made things easier."

"I don't understand," Ash snapped out, folding his arms a little. "You were going to attack the Kalos League anyway? Why then? Why now?"

"Ancien City," was the simple reply. That all made even less sense than most of what Dalton had been saying before. Ash's brain was struggling to catch up, but he was at least starting to understand some of what Dalton was saying. "That was my tipping point. I was done standing by."

"But…what was it about Ancien City that made you do all of this? Put your plan into action? The League Summit, I can kinda get but…"

"Because of you," came the answer. Now all understanding was out the window, and Ash was completely lost. "Because you all fought there. You put your lives on the line in a situation you should have never had any part in. It broke my heart."

"You've lost it, Dalton!" Seamus barked. Ash wasn't quite as sure in that moment. Dalton didn't look like a man that was out of control; he was just a man who knew what he wanted and what he was fighting for. It was clear to see in his eyes, even if Ash didn't understand why Ancien proved to be the tipping point for him.

"I traveled the world after Merle died," Dalton began to explain, now pacing back and forth restlessly. Zoroark was still standing in front of him like a shield, as if daring them to attack. "And do you know what I saw? I saw regions heading for the tipping point. I saw a scientist try to control Pokémon that could have destroyed humanity with their power on a whim. I saw a madman try to completely destroy the world, and instead of all the Gym Leaders and Elite Four members putting a stop to him in Sinnoh, instead I saw one Champion, one professor, and four  _children_.  _Children_."

"Yeah, that was me and my friends, but so what? We were chosen by the Lake Guardians," Ash told him, as if this was basic knowledge. Dalton stopped.

"You shouldn't have been chosen in the first place!" he shouted, a vein pulsing on his head. "Children shouldn't be involved in these sorts of things. They shouldn't have their lives put in danger at all. I understand the perils of a journey, but this goes beyond that. Why did Merle have to die, when she would have lived if the League had gotten involved? Why did you and your friends have to save the day, when the Gym Leaders  _knew_  about Team Galactic and did  _nothing_? Why did the participants in the Kalos Team Tournament have to be the ones to save the town when there were how many others there?

"It's not right. The League is broken, and I'm going to change it. Change it so that no child has to ever be hurt the way my precious daughter was. Now, I thank you, Ash Ketchum, for your efforts in taking down those evil organizations; for your enduring bravery…but you've shown far more than you ever had to. That's why I'm doing all of this: not for me, but for every other child. I'm tired of waiting around for the next crisis to happen in order for the League to put itself together. This is the easiest way. I'm going to force it to happen by going back and making it so, before these horrors can occur. If Merle still dies, then she dies, but my conscience will be clear."

"But you're wrong," Ash protested loudly. That drew Dalton's attention. Ash stepped forward again, Pikachu moving with him. He finally understood Dalton; understood his pain and wanting to change. More than that, he understood that despair, if in a different way. Even after he promised Zinnia he would never give in to despair, he had…but he came out changed; he came out stronger. "You're hurting people and forcing something on them that they don't need. You want to change the world, but a lot of people's lives are okay, and by changing things, you may take that away. You can't force change."

"You said that to me before, Ash," Dalton permitted, inclining his head just a little. "I respectfully disagree. The world needs a medicine, and sometimes, a sick child doesn't want to take their medicine. You need to force it down their throat or they'll never get better. Change won't stick."

"But you're going to change everyone's lives in an instant!" Ash countered. Pikachu's cheeks were sparking again, gearing up for some kind of fight. Next to him, Seamus was prepared as well. Ash knew no matter what he would say, it was his last chance to convince Dalton to stand down before a fight would break out between them. "I wouldn't be the same person I am without my experiences, but you want to take that away from me and everyone else. Having things happen instantly…it doesn't change anything. You need to walk the long road, just like every trainer does to earn their badges."

"And how many more children will die in that time? How many more Merles?" Ash narrowed his eyes, staring at Dalton as the man looked at both him and Seamus with a sharp gaze. "I won't abide it. I will bring about change, a delta as it were, for a new world that is better than it was before. And I will not let you stop me, Ash Ketchum, Seamus…not now."

"Then why tell us all this?" Seamus asked stoically. His fingers were rubbing over his pokeball, his lips twitching. "If our pasts will be different if you succeed, why bother telling us at all?"

"Because I'm stalling." Ash opened his mouth to ask what that meant when there was a loud cracking noise, like a door suddenly being opened. The airship rumbled and lightning flashed through the air, striking a single side of it, but not causing enough damage to make it move. Ash had to brace himself, though, and when he looked up, he saw Dalton holding up the Scroll of Secrets and the keystones. "Ash, you're the biggest obstacle in my way. I've known that since Sinnoh…maybe even before then. So, I just needed to wait for the rift to open."

"Why does it opening even matter?" Seamus snapped at his former mentor. "You still need it to fully form to enter into the past, right? What did stalling do when we just have to defeat you before it fully opens to close it?"

"Because you can't close it," Dalton explained, waving the Scroll of Secrets before throwing it off the airship. Ash craned his neck to see the scroll pass straight through the barrier (to his surprise) while below there was also a black circle. Some debris was sucked into the portal, never returning. "A temporal rift is a very fickle thing; open one second, closed the next. I needed a way to stabilize it, and that's why, after painstaking research, I went after the scroll. It contained all of the clans' knowledge. It showed me exactly how to align the keystones and the cables within the Gates to make it stable. As long as the energy within the Gates exists, so will the portal. And now that it's all calibrated, I can fight you without leaving the keystones behind as well. They're connected in my device. Only if they're separated from the spires or each other, or if they're smashed can the portal be  _halted_  at best. But you'll have to get them from me first."

"Then you've got really bad luck," Ash said, grinning wildly at the man. Dalton raised his eyebrows in inquiry. "My friends are down below, and one of them's a genius. If anyone can figure out how to stop all of this, it's him. I just need to buy him some time by defeating you."

"And I'll help," Seamus stated, tossing his pokeball into the air and calling Alakazam out. "You're beyond saving, Master Dalton. So, as your sole remaining student, I'll see to it that I finally beat you."

Dalton seemed to smile at this and he pat his chest pocket. Then he reached out with his other hand and tossed his own pokeball out, Yanmega emerging. "Then let's begin."

* * *

"Bring me a wrench, Jessie!" James called out, holding his hand out. Jessie seemed to grumble, unhappy with being bossed around by her blue-haired coworker but nevertheless handed him the wrench he was looking for. Clemont largely ignored them, focusing on his own designs, put up next to one of Meowth's

"So, dis is da core system for putting da data into," Meowth informed him. Clemont nodded, trying to rein in his fascination with Team Rocket's mechs.

"Can we attach a cable to it, then?" Clemont asked the feline designer. Meowth shrugged a little, which wasn't quite the answer he was looking or hoping for. "How much energy can the Mega Mega Meowth base store?"

"Correction, old chum!" James called out from where he was. Korrina was now next to him, laying some tools out by his side before she skated back over to Clemont and Meowth. "We're working on a next generation design. It's just in its design stages but we're calling it the Tera Tera Meowth!"

"Okay…then how much energy can the Tera Tera Meowth store?" Clemont asked, pushing his glasses up on his nose to ask the question. James just seemed to scratch his head at the question.

"Honestly…it's just a prototype, so I can't be sure."

"Get back to work James! Our lives are on the line here!" Jessie snapped, whapping him on the back of the head with a screwdriver. That seemed to set the two of them off in another argument. Clemont turned back to the data in front of him. He was running out of time…Team Rocket was immensely fast at this kind of stuff, but it would mean nothing if he didn't hold up his own end of things.

"All right…All right…" Clemont breathed out, tapping his fingers over his designs as he contemplated them. "Original question. How much can the Mega Mega Meowth store?"

"Uh…I tink we estimated it at about 50,000 units of Mega Energy… 'course, we never tested dat theory, 'cause youse guys are always blasting us off."

"All right…so let's say each model can double the amount, safe estimation there…" Clemont scratched his chin with his pen, looking at the calculations all over his design. "No, no…I have to correct for any excess energy that may be in the air, and if there's a sudden change in the pattern…Gah, I don't have the time to figure this out!"

"Well, you better figure it out fast, smart twoip," Meowth pointed out, hopping away to go help his comrades. This left Clemont scratching his head in utter frustration. No matter which way he looked at his design and the numbers, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to account for every single variable in the short amount of time they had. Any wrong move would set either a raging Rayquaza loose on the town or just do utterly nothing and leave them stuck. The numbers swirled around in a giant mess in his brain.

"Hey, don't worry about all the numbers, Clemont," Korrina said, crouching next to him on the ground. "I'm sure whatever your first calculation is would be the right one."

"But if I make a wrong calculation-" Korrina suddenly tossed an arm around his shoulder, much like Ash would usually do. His face heated up, and he turned his head to find his very close to hers. He would have backed away rapidly, but she smiled brightly at him.

"Don't worry about calculations! A battle isn't about calculation, and right now, is it really the time to be concerned about them, anyway?" she asked cheerily. Bringing her arm in a little closer, like a hug, she whispered in his ear (an action so unlike her), "No matter what happens, we're all in it together, right?"

"Together…?" Clemont questioned. Korrina just nodded with her smile and drew back. Yes, they all had to work together. Just like he was working with Team Rocket and Team Brutal…they needed all hands on deck. "Korrina, I need a favor."

"Name it, Clemont!"

"I need you to find Miss Elaine," he said sternly. "She has blonde hair, usually lives about four houses or so down from the main Gate on the main road. Just call for her and tell her that we need to know how much Mega Evolution energy is contained in the Gates and the fountains, okay?"

"You can count on me!" Korrina cheered, leaning down and pressing a button on her skates for the wheels to pop out. She seemed to look over at Lucario, who was still holding Theta and Chi hostage before gazing back to Clemont, who met her gaze without a single flush. "Hey, when you finish the design for those rocket skates you used…I'd love to give them a try…so…let's get through this, huh?"

"You got it," Clemont said. Korrina smiled one more time and then she went skating off across the marketplace. The inventor breathed in with a smile. Serena was preparing the others for the final battle against Rayquaza. Ash was planning to get the keystones. Now it was down to him to build the device and make the calculations necessary to ensure everyone got out of this alive.

"Just like last time, huh, Clemont?" Bonnie asked, walking up to him. She appeared to be looking over the charts, though it was pretty obvious that just about everything was going over her head. "We're building a machine to save everyone like we did in Ancien City."

"Not quite the same, Bonnie," Clemont pointed out, his attentions remaining on his calculations. Not making any headway, he decided to quickly clean his glasses. "Last time, we were provoking Rayquaza into helping us. This time, we have to beat him.

"Yeah, you still haven't explained your plan, big brother."

"Don't worry, Bonnie," Clemont assured her, placing his glasses back on. "I'll explain it all to you guys once I've-"

An idea struck Clemont's brain. If he was right in the capacity that this Tera Tera Meowth could hold for Mega Evolution energy before bursting, then he would just have to find a way to make sure the energy was stored in different areas by building a capacitor that would allow it. That was child's play for someone like him. All that was left were the calculations to make it happen, though that was still an infinitely daunting task…one he still wasn't sure that he'd be able to complete within the time given.

_Rooooooooar!_

The howl split the air and Clemont noticed his sister crunching in amongst herself, covering her ears at the loud noise. Clemont wished he could do the same, but what his eyes were seeing precluded whatever his ears were hearing. It started as a crackle of energy in the air until Clemont saw the black ripple form between the Mark Omega and Rayquaza. It quickly began to grow, expanding like a black circle of doom. There was a loud cracking noise as it suddenly expanded, almost like a door. Time was of the essence.

"What do we do, Clemont? What do we do?" Bonnie was screaming, Dedenne screaming alongside her. Squishy seemed perfectly fine.

"Serena!" Clemont yelled out to his companion. Over near the fountain, Serena turned to face him, looking back down from the rift. She nodded, and turned to the other trainers in the area. The only one who didn't seem to be paying attention was Diantha, who was bending down to pick up something that fell through the air.

"Everyone, we need to protect the town!" Serena yelled out. "Christopher, take the Gate of Fire. Bethany, take the Gate of Earth. Astrid, keep on standby. Rocky will watch over the Gate of Wind while it seems like Clemont and the others will be taking care of the Gate of Water while they work on…whatever it is they're working on."

"Right!" Bethany said, pumping her fist into the air. "This is our town! Let's protect it!"

"No matter what," Serena continued on, looking at each and every one of them, "you can't let Rayquaza break out of the marketplace. We stop it here. It may be hard, but…if anyone can do it, we can. We've come so far as a group, and Ash is trusting us to take care of things down here. He's trying his hardest up above, so we can't let him down now."

Everyone appeared to be very in agreement with Serena's proclamations, and all Clemont could do was gape at his friend. Serena, as she was now, was so different from who she was at the start of her journey. She was different from how she was before the mess with Team Neo began. Now, she had somehow transformed into a leader, giving orders the way Ash would. It almost made Clemont feel like he'd fallen behind. He may have been a Gym Leader, but compared to his friends who burned brightly like stars, he wondered if he could measure up.

"Clemont, we're counting on you," Bonnie suddenly said, grasping her brother's hand. Clemont blinked, looking at his sister who was putting so much faith in him. "We have to protect their home. Wouldn't we want to protect Lumiose City?"

And that was when everything fit into place for Clemont. He may not have been the leader that Ash and Serena were, the kind of people who were fit to eventually become the Champion or the Kalos Queen; but he had something they didn't have. He had the ability to support them. No leader was anything without their support. Everyone needed help to move forward, and Clemont knew that. So, he stood, and made his way over to Theta and Chi. Lucario offered him a strange look, but still allowed him to approach.

"This was your hometown, right?" Clemont asked the two of them. Theta was unresponsive, but Chi raised his head, peering through his glasses. At least he had his attention. "Don't you want to protect it? Or are you so wrapped up in your goal that you don't care what happens to anyone else?"

"That's not true…" Chi sighed out. Clemont reached forward and put a hand on Lucario's arm, allowing him to slacken it and release Chi to the ground. He stepped forward and stood before the older man.

"If that's not the case, then help protect the town," he said sternly, almost like a lecture. "You built these machines, now help me do the calculations that I can't. If you truly care about people, then…"

"I understand," Chi finally said, cutting Clemont off from his tirade. "To think I'd live long enough to be lectured by children…Theta, how far have we fallen?" Theta didn't answer, but Chi stood. Clemont nodded and began to walk back over to his design, hearing the faint steps of Chi behind him. They almost sounded defeated.

"All I need to figure out is how to proportion them into the capacitor. If I weren't on such a time clock, I could probably do it, but under the circumstances…" Chi nodded, kneeling before the sheets. Clemont watched him. He may have agreed to help, but it was obvious from his movements just how broken he was. Chi had failed, and had been scolded by someone who was much younger. "Why did you do it? Go along with it?"

"We…we each had our reasons," Chi answered, his pencil flying across a sheet of paper. "For me, it was to make her happy again…Tau, I think he respected Dalton too much, and he just wanted to change the world. I guess he thought it needed to be changed. Maybe he was right, but…I have no desire to see anyone destroyed. That's the only reason I'm helping you; a contingency plan…and a penance."

"Penance?" Clemont asked, his eyebrows disappearing below the rim of his glasses.

"We broke our one rule: no children," he explained. "You may have involved yourselves, but we are the ones who struck first. That sin is on us. So, if I can make sure that children leave this town alive, I'll have done, heh…I'll have done what needs to be done. That's worth something."

"I guess…"

"Clemont! I brought her!" Korrina's voice shouted out and Clemont turned in time to see the blonde skid to a stop, staring up at the rift growing larger. Elaine was behind her, staring wide-eyed at the portal that was forming. However, once Clemont approached, she turned her attentions to him. Or at least, that's what Clemont thought until he saw the woman's eyes slide over to Chi, who was looking right back at her.

"Elaine," Chi responded with a little nod in her direction. Elaine's lips were set into a frown and she approached the man before slapping him across the face. Clemont recoiled from it a little, and Korrina seemed to have flinched.

"What have you done, Charles, you foolish man?" she snapped. "Rayquaza, time portals, manipulating the Gates…I'd have thought you and Tiffany had learned better on your travels. You don't mess with things until you fully understand them."

"Dalton wasn't willing to wait…" Chi said, or maybe it was Charles…Clemont couldn't be sure so he decided to stick to the first name.

"Yes, I'm sure you didn't just go along with it, just as Theodore did. I'm sure he's around here somewhere, too," Elaine commented, he hands on her hips in a huff. "Honestly…"

"Um…Miss Elaine, you know them?" Clemont asked, his eyebrows knitted in confusion. Elaine tilted her head a little and sighed once more.

"You'd be hard pressed to find someone in Nova Town who didn't know them a few years back. Tiffany and Charles, or Theta and Chi as they were called for their radio personalities, were the closest things we had to celebrities around these parts. They'd travel and then come back and talk about their travels…it was about a year after their trip to the Orange Islands that they closed down the station, though." Elaine finally drew back from Chi, a look of disappointment still stretching her lips. "People looked up to them. Children looked up to them, and to do this now…"

"It was our choice, for good or ill," Chi responded, returning to his calculations.

"Well, I think we know which one of those it is," Elaine finished testily. At this, she finally turned back to Clemont. "Now, this young lady tells me that you wanted to ask me something, Clemont?"

"Ah! How much Mega Evolution energy is contained in the Gates and the fountain?" Clemont asked. Elaine surveyed him a moment, but after half a minute of no answers, he noticed that she seemed to, in fact, be thinking.

"Just under 200,000 units, was what Madeline theorized," Elaine answered. "Just what are you planning?"

"Yeah, Clemont, what  _are_  you planning?" called Serena's voice as she walked over with a concerned frown. Overhead, the howling of the time portal's expansion increased in volume. "You haven't exactly told us yet."

"Heh heh…" Clemont laughed out. His chuckle seemed to attract the attention of the three girls before him as well as the still working Team Rocket. "What is my plan, you ask? Well, my friends, the future is now thanks to science!"

"So, we've been told," Bonnie sighed out, cutting off his introduction mercilessly. "Get to the point, Clemont!"

"Okay, fine!" Clemont snapped, unhappy that he couldn't go into his full scientific mode. "We need to close the portal, but if we remove Rayquaza, he'll terrorize the town. If we don't and if Ash fails to get the keystones, which is unlikely but a possibility, the portal will just stay there. So! Utilizing Team Rocket's brilliant machinery and the concept behind the Mega Mega Meowth we've faced before, I've decided to absorb the energy from the Gates and the fountain which will make the portal null and void, while making sure it could never be opened again!"

"Okay…but we still have Rayquaza to deal with…" Bonnie pointed out. Clemont gave another chuckle.

"Au contraire, my dear sister!" Clemont exclaimed, earning an eye-roll from his sister. "We'll have to release Rayquaza, true, but with the portal not fully formed, I think our best chance will be to knock it right into the portal as soon as the energy is sucked out and right after we release the cables. It'll take some strength, but we shouldn't have to worry too much, and there won't be any damage to us."

"Sounds like a tight window," Serena admitted. Clemont nodded a little; it was true, there wasn't much room for error in his plan, but he hoped that Ash could at least buy them some time by slowing down the progression of the portal by removing some keystones. Either way, it meant they would all have to pull out a victory, and even he couldn't assume as to what would happen even if they succeeded.

"So, the Gates will just become tombs again. No residual Mega or temporal energy remaining…" Elaine commented. She sounded a little sad, and though Clemont wanted to apologize to her that he was taking away her life's research, he also felt it was better to just simply have a life. "Well, then, Charles, your measurements and calculations better be as accurate as they can. Any screw-up could cost this entire town, and yourself, their lives."

"I'm well aware, Elaine," Chi said, finally marking something on his sheet. "I've already made the appropriate calculations. I'd suggest an oscillator to consistently transfer the energy to different parts of the robot."

"It's a mech!" James suddenly yelled out. Clemont chanced a look over. It was almost complete. Chi ignored the outburst.

"That way, it won't cause any one area of the machine to take damage. The rest is up to you. I've gone as far as I'm willing." With that, he foisted the sheets roughly into Clemont's hands. The inventor gulped a little and looked up to see the four females before him, looking at him with trust.

"Then you can leave it up to me."

"Well, whatever it is you need to do, do it fast," Diantha said, walking over with the Scroll of Secrets clasped to her good side. "Dalton managed to reveal the invisible ink on the scroll…he's made it possible to stabilize the time rift. Which means Ash's retrieval of the keystones and Rayquaza's release will truly only slow it down, maybe halt the progression…but only your plan can see it vanish."

"So no pressure!" Korrina cheered. Diantha stepped a little more forward.

"There's also the issue of letting Rayquaza roam free or get into the portal when it's fully formed. If it does, it may very well affect whatever timeline lies beyond."

"Then we won't let that happen," Clemont assured her. He clutched the calculations tighter. This was something only he could do. It was the only way to save everyone, and support the friends that had helped him get this far. "I'll do this as fast as I can and make sure that Rayquaza never hurts anyone else. I'm only asking for all of you to make sure the rest of the town is clear…After all, I'm working on the project, so I'm sure it'll blow up and send that Mega Energy away, and we don't want any civilians caught in the blast."

Serena stepped forward, placing a hand on Clemont's shoulder. As he looked into her blue ones, he could see the trust she was placing in him, and he returned it in kind. That bond was unshakeable to him; more than just a team, or friends…they were family. And he wanted to protect his family. Serena must have wanted to, as well, because she said the only thing that truly mattered. "You can count on us, so do what needs to be done."

* * *

"DALTON!" Seamus roared as the man before them looked at his emerging Yanmega, tucking its pokeball back to his side. That was no longer a surprise to Ash; it was obvious the Bug type didn't belong to a Zoroark of all things. Seamus leapt into the action immediately. "Use Shock Wave in columns!"

"Alakazam!" the Psi Pokémon called out, twirling its spoons around and pointing them forward. Blue sparks of electricity surrounded its body and then shot outward. The attack created numerous volts that seemed to sear upward like the columns he had asked for. They spread forward in a line, straight for the pair of Dalton's Pokémon.

"Speed up and dodge it," Dalton ordered calmly. Ash's eyes narrowed, watching as the keystone diagram dangled around his neck. It wasn't about beating him yet…they had to retrieve those things first. Hopefully, Seamus hadn't forgotten. As the Shock Wave reached their opponents, Yanmega swooped away, turning on its side to skim the electricity as it went forward. Zoroark's body appeared to shine a little and then she was dashing forward with both claws wreathed in shadow.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash quickly ordered. The keystones were the objective, but that didn't mean they could skimp on defending themselves first.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu called out, his body blazing with a white aura as he sped forward quickly. He continued through the line of the Shock Wave column, unaffected by his ally's attack to rapidly reach Zoroark. The fox slashed at Pikachu with her claws, but his partner easily leaped through them to slam Zoroark in the chest. Ash quickly looked over to notice Dalton had stepped aside from Seamus' attack. Then his eyes got back to the action.

"Use Iron Tail, and get yourself into the air!" Ash said. Pikachu instantly complied, his tail glowing white as he flipped upward, nailing Zoroark on the head and using it as a springboard, similar to Draco Meteor Climb, in order to launch himself at Yanmega.

"Counter with Steel Wing." The order was short, but Yanmega, who was quick enough, aimed right for Pikachu with glowing wings. The hard set of wings and Pikachu's tail collided, meeting in midair as they were suspended. "Shadow Claw."

Ash tried to keep his eye on Pikachu, who was still trying to maintain balance in his showdown with Yanmega, while Zoroark now ran at Alakazam. Pikachu needed to get out of there fast. "Thunderbolt!"

"Pi…ka…CHUUUUUUU!" The electricity that outpoured from his body seemed to sear along the top of the airship a bit, but the most important part was that it consumed Yanmega, leaving the Ogre Darner Pokémon twitching horribly. Or it was, until it gave off a very loud Screech. Pikachu, unable to do much but endure it, ceased his Thunderbolt and dropped. Yanmega zipped through the air with its Steel Wing, the buffeting air slamming Pikachu into the airship's surface.

"Are you all right, Pikachu?"

"Pi!"

"Counter with Drain Punch!" Seamus yelled. Just as Zoroark was about to make contact with her Shadow Claw, Alakazam's spoons glowed green and it punched forward with both fists. The two attacks collided, a burst of energy forming between them and pushing them back. Just a quick glance told Ash that Alakazam had received the worse end of the deal. Ash returned his gaze to the battle to notice Dalton staring at him with a subtle smirk.

"Dark Pulse and Sonic Boom!" The simultaneous command didn't leave Ash much room to counteract. Zoroark crouched, holding her hands in front of herself in a circular shape before firing the spiraling dark beam at Pikachu. At the same time, Yanmega's wings fluttered quickly and the visible soundwave went racing at his partner.

"Counter Shield!" Ash ordered, recognizing it as the quickest way. Pikachu began to spin on his back, sending out spark of lightning. The two attacks connected with the lightning shield, but were unable to break through as Pikachu kept his barrier going. At this, Seamus was giving his own orders.

"Energy Ball, rapid fire!" Alakazam waved its hands in a circle, the green, pulsing projectiles formed within that circle. Then Alakazam thrust forward, the Energy Balls flying outward. Yanmega zipped back and forth, avoiding two of them before a third slammed into it while Zoroark managed to slash through all of the ones heading for her. A final one soared right at Dalton, but he just waited for it to approach and stepped to the side, avoiding it.

"Night Daze."

Zoroark took a shuddering step forward, her body blazing with a blood red aura shimmering all over her form. Pikachu flipped back onto his feet, ready for the next round when Zoroark's arms flew out, and the aura with it. The Dark type attack rushed outward in a wave that neither Pikachu nor Alakazam could avoid, flinging them both backwards. It was definitely a dangerous move.

"Pi…ka…" Pikachu grunted out, getting to his feet with extra vigor. Alakazam took a little longer. As they were doing so, Ash looked over to Dalton. It was like he was playing with them. He wasn't taking the fight all that seriously; probably because he just needed to stop attacks from getting to him. That was all that mattered.

"This can't go on forever…" Seamus voiced out. Ash nodded in agreement. "We need a plan. I won't let Dalton go on dishonoring his daughter's memory like this."

"Do you have an idea?"

"Less an idea and more a concept," Seamus informed him through gritted teeth. "Pikachu's fast, and we can take advantage of that. We just need to provide him ample cover for attacks."

"Sounds good to me," Ash said. His hand snaked down to his belt, touching two of his pokeballs. If their plan was to work, he knew he needed to be ready to get those keystones down below. Seamus nodded.

"Alakazam! Drain Punch on Zoroark!"

"Kazam!" Alakazam shot forward, its fist glowing green. Not waiting for Dalton's command, Zoroark's own claws brimmed with that shadowy energy as it made sure to counteract the move incoming. Judging by the smirk on Seamus' face, it was exactly what he wanted. Alakazam seemed to look back and the blond nodded. Once more, its body began to brim with the crackling blue electricity. Only this time it exploded outward, covering the area in blue sparks that obscured almost everything from vision.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack on Yanmega!" Ash ordered. Pikachu dashed forward again, blazing into the harmless blue sparks. Ash's eyes tracked him, watching as he seemed to disappear for a moment before reappearing the next. Even Dalton looked to be keeping track of him. Then Pikachu leapt up straight towards Yanmega.

"Get ready to attack it as soon as its attack ends," Dalton ordered calmly. Yanmega looked to nod just as Pikachu was about to hit it.

"Now, bound off of it and hit that case with Iron Tail!"

"Pika!" Pikachu acknowledged, turning his body around in midair to instead hit Yanmega with his tail in order to spring off. Dalton seemed shocked by the move, and that, combined with the speed Pikachu was hurtling at, served as the elements of surprise needed. Pikachu's tail glowed white and slashed across the casing, just missing the string hanging from Dalton's neck. Ash chose not to waste a second.

"Noivern, Talonflame, I choose you! Get those keystones below!" Noivern and Talonflame emerged from their pokeballs, both streaking for the three keystones now crumbling away from Dalton's chest. The gust of wind from the two of them nearly knocked Dalton over as Noivern grabbed onto two of the keystones, a necktie and an earring, while Talonflame grabbed the last. Only Diantha's remained in Dalton's possession.

The airship suddenly rocked, pitching Ash to the side. The only ones unaffected were the fliers. Talonflame and Noivern were already on their way off the edge. Ash regained his balance as a sudden bolt of green lightning, either from the clouds above or the portal below, struck the edge of the ship. It began to smoke, making Ash struggle to get to his feet and run close to the edge. Staring below, he could see that the barrier was now gone, and the spire of energy that had been generated was thinner. He smiled; removing the keystones from their formation had already done a lot of good.

"Get those keystones back, Yanmega!" Dalton shouted. Ash turned around just in time for Yanmega to nearly run into his face as it dove after Talonflame. To his horror, the Ogre Darner Pokémon started chittering loudly, a red wave radiating off its body and aiming right for Talonflame. Noivern had already sped below the radius, hurtling for the square below, but Talonflame was buffeted. It wasn't enough to damage his Pokémon, but he did let go of the keystone…and Yanmega dove right for it.

"Talonflame, use Flame Charge!" Ash yelled. Talonflame spread his wings wide and wreathed himself in flames to go soaring back off towards the keystone that was now ascending. Yanmega's wings glowed white, indicative of a Steel Wing as they both dove for it.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried out and Ash was forced to whip his head back to see Zoroark going for both Pikachu and Alakazam.

"Don't worry, Pikachu! You can handle this! I'm going to make sure that keystone gets there safely," Ash told his trusted partner, staring at him sternly. Pikachu stared back for a moment. "Can you handle this for me, buddy?"

"Pi!" Pikachu confirmed with a smile and he whipped his tail up with a glow to block the Shadow Claw aiming at him. Ash focused his attentions back down below. The two Pokémon had clashed already, neither one hitting the keystone as it began to plummet. Yanmega had other ideas in mind. Its wings beat furiously, sending a Sonic Boom racing towards the keystone that knocked it upwards.

"Flame Charge! Move faster!" Ash yelled. Talonflame gave a great cry, evidently hearing his command. The flames once more surrounded his body and he shot off even faster than before, claws extended to grab onto the glove that the keystone was contained in.

 _Skreeeeeee!_  The sound of the Screech that Yanmega was using could be heard even up by him and for a moment, Talonflame faltered, letting the keystone slip away into the clutches of Yanmega.

"Steel Wing, let's go!" Talonflame's fire spluttered out, but his wings gleamed with a bright light as he shot off towards Yanmega. The dragonfly turned right around, its own wings glowing white. The two clashed once before whirling around and heading right back. Ash quickly looked at the way the two were aiming for each other. They needed to be close quarters. "Angle your body to the left!"

"Talon!" Talonflame cried out, obeying Ash's orders. The plan worked perfectly and as Talonflame's wing collided with Yanmega's the two were suddenly locked in place, grating against one another. Yanmega's chittering began again and Ash could see the Bug Buzz forming, but he wouldn't let Talonflame be beaten so easily.

"Heat it up with Flame Charge!" Talonflame did just that, once more surrounding itself with the blazing flames and charging forward. Yanmega was so focused on its own attack that it didn't have time to defend. Talonflame shot forward, straight through Yanmega, the keystone dropping in the process. Talonflame swooped around and shot down, snatching the keystone before flying back upward. "Finish it with Brave Bird!"

"Flaaaaaaame!" Talonflame cried. His body glowed blue, sizzling with energy as he slammed into Yanmega and drove through it, carrying it up past the airship before the attack ended. Once it did, Yanmega twitched once and then plummeted back towards the ground. Giving a final look of pride to his trainer, Talonflame shot back down and Ash turned back to the battle on the airship itself, which appeared to have entered a stalemate of Pikachu dodging Dark Pulses. Ash just stepped forward to face Dalton.

"Three down, one to go!" he proclaimed to the Team Neo leader. Dalton said nothing. He didn't grin, or smirk, or frown, or scowl. He just stood there a moment, looking at the final remaining keystone hanging from his neck; the final thing between victory and defeat. Now that the formation was broken, Ash knew he would protect it with all his life. Or, at least, that was what he thought until Dalton tossed yet another pokeball into the air and Medicham emerged.

"I didn't think you'd be able to do that. Clever strategy," he admitted. "But unfortunately for you, I planned for such a contingency. You were just unaware of the information."

Ash furrowed his brow before widening his eyes. Dalton reached into his breast-pocket and took out his headset, turning it just a little for both Ash and Seamus to catch sight of it: his own keystone. The time portal wouldn't be stopping any time soon. Dalton wasn't giving up any time soon. Medicham's red headpiece also drew back a little and seemed to gleam, prompting Ash to notice the distinct shine of a Mega Stone. With another grin, Dalton clasped his own keystone and Mega Evolved his Medicham.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Whew! This chapter was…well, it was tough but rewarding. A LOT was revealed this chapter from Clemont's plan, to Dalton's motivations. I wanted to create a villain this time who, compared to Zinnia, had to do what he wanted to do this way. There was no other option. Unlike Zinnia, he's not controlled by pain but by purpose. And his purpose, well, it isn't all that bad. He's not some megalomaniac wanting to take over the world but change it so children don't have to die. And he wants Ash out of the way because he knows he'll stop him, and he respects that. This combined with the fight made it a hard chapter to balance. I hope I did a decent job.
> 
> Some other fun notes about this chapter. For the first thing, Dalton was originally going to Mega Evolve Medicham in the next chapter instead, but I decided that with the circumstances of the fight changing, and him being who he is, he'd do it now instead of waiting. For that matter, yes, he's revealed to have his own keystone, which means that the fight to stop the portal from opening is still going strong: now Dalton has to be defeated. Another note is that Elaine wasn't going to be in this chapter, too, but I felt she added more to it. And finally, if you haven't noticed, with the way these fights and events in a chapter are set up, the timeline I'm playing with may seem a bit…confusing, but I promise that it all tracks!
> 
> We're nearing the climax here, and I couldn't be more grateful for your words! Until we meet on the next chapter, please do Review and Dare to Be Silly.


	16. A Road

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, this was a chapter where using a song on repeat helped me write it. During one of the last parts of it, I definitely used XY&Z -Off Vocal ver.- to help write it. Listening to said version would probably set the mood really well. Now, time for Chapter 16!

Chapter 16

A Road

The light was blinding for a moment to Ash's eyes, though whether it was from the surprise reveal of the keystone, or because it was truly that bright, Ash wasn't sure. All he knew was that it had burst out and then faded, allowing both of the trainers opposing Dalton to see the new form of his Medicham.

Gone was the pink top of its head, now looking like a white turban, evidently concealing where the Mega Stone had been before. There were also pieces of gold on his wrists like bracelets, and more extending up its waist. Beyond that, Medicham was now exuding an even more otherworldly power as four ghost-like hands were protruding from behind it. Ash swallowed. He could feel the power of Dalton's Mega Evolved Pokémon from here, and from the way Pikachu's ears were twitching, he could too. Though none of it diminished their will to fight.

"You had a keystone…this entire time?" Seamus asked, his face twisted into a scowl. Dalton shrugged a little.

"I had to have a contingency plan," he admitted. "In case the keystones were separated from one another, I needed to make sure that the portal continued to open. The scroll indicated a way to use five, too: one for the fountain and four for each Gate. This way, it won't close unless I'm defeated."

"But it's not opening as fast," Ash pointed out, a grin on his face. Dalton raised an eyebrow. "We got those other keystones out of the way. I don't know how all this works, but if the keystones are apart then the portal won't open."

"True, but like I said, you can't close it. At best, you can halt it. Although, as long as I have  _my_  keystone, there's little chance of that unless you defeat me."

"You're one crafty bas-"

"Enough talking." Dalton snapped his fingers, the sound resonating like a crack of thunder. Medicham's arms (both real and ghostly) became imbued with a blue and purple light. Ash wasn't going to let that attack happen. He was getting those keystones.

"Pikachu, let's go!"

"You too, Alakazam!" Pikachu was bounding forward even before Alakazam was moving, aiming right for the charging Medicham. He wasn't fast enough as Zoroark's body glowed white, zooming to intercept Pikachu before a dark wave burst outward. Pikachu flew back as Alakazam crossed its spoons like a mighty shield, for all the good it did.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash cried. Pikachu skidded along the surface of the airship just as it rocked again. It was a little easier to maintain balance, even if Ash was starting to feel like the craft itself was tipping. Pikachu's body brimmed with lightning before shooting out the bolt. Alakazam was right alongside him, its own blue Shock Wave zapping forward. The two currents of electricity combined in a stream, aiming for Medicham. "Now, Quick Attack!"

"Pika!" Pikachu yelled, dashing forward towards the still charging Pokémon. Ash looked over in time to see the electricity slam into Zoroark to prevent it from mounting a counterattack. Not that it mattered. Pikachu slammed into Medicham, pushing the Mega Evolution slightly back, only as the glow on its fists reached a zenith.

"Focus Punch." Another snap and Medicham punched forward. It was just one punch, but with all six hands making it at once, the effect was brutalizing. Pikachu was thrown back, battered mercilessly by the one attack that seemed to split the very air itself with how powerful it was. That Medicham was certainly in a league of its own. Pikachu continued flying through the air and Zoroark blitzed forward, slashing him into the ground with a Shadow Claw.

"Pikachu! Are you okay?" Ash yelled, watching as his brave buddy stood up, showcasing his incredible will and tenacity. He smiled at that as Seamus leapt into the action.

"Drain Punch, come on!" the blond ordered. Alakazam's fist glowed with a green hue and it punched at Zoroark, nailing her in the side. Zoroark stumbled back, growling menacingly before it sped up, claws of shadow once more extended outward. Medicham was on the move as well, all six fists glowing. They moved much faster than Alakazam could prepare a counterattack and the two began to pummel the Psi Pokémon's body quickly, forcing it back in little steps. Pikachu was back on his feet, looking over at Ash. That was all it took; a look that said exactly what Pikachu should do.

A ball of crackling electricity formed on the end of his tail as it was raised in the air and he crawled forward quietly until he was within a decent range. Then he flicked the Electro Ball right at the two opposing Pokémon. Alakazam saw it coming at the last second and barely managed to dodge as the attack made contact, freeing it from the assault. Dalton's finger snapped again and Pikachu stopped moving. All of them stopped moving, and Ash could feel his limbs once more growing heavy under the effects of Gravity. It felt even stronger than before, and the raven-haired trainer could swear he felt the airship dropping.

"Zen Headbutt," was Dalton's quick command. Medicham clasped its palms together and it glowed a bright blue before sailing at the collapsing Pikachu and Alakazam. Blue sparks of energy were flying off, and Ash was afraid of just what the attack would do, until Alakazam acted. He watched as the Psi Pokémon's eyes glowed blue and suddenly Medicham was stuck in place, unable to do anything. The Gravity dissipated and Ash sprung to his feet.

Once he was on his feet, he ran straight for Dalton. They weren't getting anywhere by just battling the Pokémon, and no matter how honorable it was, there was no time to do so. He needed to get to the target. Dalton raised another eyebrow at Ash's assault, almost smirking. Then Ash punched right for his face, only for the attack to be blocked by Dalton catching his fist. Next came the knee right into Ash's stomach, causing him to recoil backwards.

"Did you assume a foolhardy physical attack would get you very far? I'm the one who trained Zoroark to use her physical combat moves in her human form. You'll need to do better."

"Yeah? Well, I'm not alone," Ash countered. "As long as I have my Pokémon by my side, we can do anything, even if it means having to physically fight you."

"Ash, move back!" Seamus yelled. Not wasting time after hearing the command, Ash jumped back, creating some distance between himself and Dalton. He quickly learned why when he saw Alakazam had created a whole wall of Energy Balls and was now firing them straight at Dalton. That wasn't the only thing. Another snap was heard and Medicham was once more focusing its power. Ash was about to call for another Thunderbolt when he noticed his body glowing blue. Looking over, he saw Seamus nod and then Ash's body was sent flying towards Dalton. Zoroark attempted to slash at him, but Ash's body avoided the attack on its own. Instead, Zoroark's Shadow Claw slashed at Alakazam…right as Ash reached Dalton.

He reached his hand out, and before Dalton could react, forcibly ripped Diantha's keystone from his neck. Then Medicham struck.

"H-Hawlucha, take the keystone now!" Ash cried, calling Hawlucha out of his pokeball. The wrestler posed for a moment before following his trainer's orders by grabbing the loose keystone and jumping off the airship before Dalton could reach him. That single move was enough to seal the deal and Ash only had to wait a second for the Focus Punch to reach him.

"No!" Seamus' feet suddenly pounded in Ash's ears and he turned to see the blond dive forward, right into the path of the attack. The powerful fists struck Seamus' body, holding it in midair for a moment before he crumpled to the ground and rolled across the surface of the tilting airship until he hit a turret. Ash was running to him in seconds, finding him gasping, his body unmoving. "That was all me and Alakazam could do…your turn, Ash…I know you can…I've watched you for years on TV, so I know…you're better than me…so…show 'im…"

"Right," was the reply. Seamus reached up and he clasped his hand in promise before letting go and turning to face Dalton and his two opponents. Alakazam was down already as well, but Pikachu was just as raring for battle. All that was left was Dalton's keystone. Either way, he was in for one heck of a fight. "Greninja, I choose you!"

* * *

Serena briskly crossed over the broken tiles of the marketplace, striding purposefully for the Gate of Wind where Rocky was standing resolutely. As she approached, he nodded to her in greeting, continuing to shake his body. He was ready for the coming fight, and that was a good thing. Nevertheless, Serena didn't stop there, continuing to walk until she was before Tau. He was awake now, but staring glumly ahead.

"He hasn't said a single word since he woke up," Rocky told her. Of course, he left out the point about him knocking him out. Serena kneeled down to Tau's level and looked him in the eye.

"Theodore, right?" she asked. Tau blinked, his head turning to meet her gaze.

"Where did you hear that name?" the man responded. Serena didn't answer, mostly because his eyes reflected that he knew the answer. "Theodore died. He died when he joined Team Neo."

"I don't believe that's true," Serena said firmly. He continued to look at her, and now she decided to explain herself. "Just like Chi and Theta, you never forgot yourselves. You knew what you were doing and you made your one rule with that in mind: no children. I just want to know why. Theta and Chi, they lost their Pokémon because of a catastrophic event, but what about you? What would drive you to attack this town? Your home?"

"If there was any other way-"

"Yeah, I'm sure you would have. But you didn't. All that's left is the why." Tau didn't answer a moment, his silence being filled by the sounds of the crackling and expanding void above her head. Although, Serena could swear she heard Pikachu amongst all of that. Finally, Tau appeared to sigh.

"I wanted to change the world," he answered simply. "I was…well, I was more or less Theta and Chi's manager. They returned from the Orange Islands broken, and then they needed to leave. I followed, traveling the world and I saw a world broken. Criminals ran rampant, hunters and poachers easily outmaneuvered the police, trainers on the road were destroyed by anyone who crossed their paths if they were stronger. Why? Why would anyone want to live in a world like that? Why wasn't anyone doing anything to fix it? I understood their loss, finally…

"Then I reunited with Dalton. He had been married to the wealthiest woman in town, so I easily knew him. Brought him to the station for a show once, and he shared his plan with me. Team Neo was born shortly after with the shared purpose of changing the world. The both of us, though, we realized it was taking too long. Nothing could change unless we made it happen before things got so bad. Repair the damage before it started so that our lives in the present wouldn't be this way."

"You took a shortcut," Serena concluded. Tau's gaze grew steely as he stared at her, his lips in a sneer.

"It wasn't a shortcut. It was a different path." Serena now breathed in, her hands balling into fists for a moment before she grabbed Tau by his jumpsuit and brought his face close to hers.

"No, you gave up on this world before trying to change it!" she snapped. "What you did was no different than someone entering the Master Class because they stole Princess Keys or the League because they stole badges. You would have gained nothing from it. Learned  _nothing_  from it."

"Don't lecture me on the merits of method."

"Why? I don't care if you're an adult. Sometimes we all need a lecture. Sometimes you need to take the long path. If I hadn't, I wouldn't be who I am now," she continued angrily. "If I hadn't stepped out on a journey, I wouldn't have grown. I wouldn't have laughed. I wouldn't have cried. I wouldn't have met people like Rocky, Clemont, or even Ash. I wouldn't have changed myself.

"That's what you're forgetting, Theodore. You're forgetting about the most important thing to changing the world: it's a constant thing. You can't snap your fingers and make it happen, no matter what Dalton thinks. You need to examine yourself and push yourself to do better, be better. If you don't do that, you're not changing the world; you're killing it. That's all you're doing here, and it makes you no different, and no less selfish, than Zinnia. So, if you're serious about changing the world…take a step forward and save this town!"

Serena's words hung in the air. She was surprised, herself, at the fact that she was able to say these things, but it was truly from the bottom of her heart. It was obvious, now that she knew what they wanted, how far they had strayed. People who forced things on others rarely got the intended result. She was sure of that, remembering how her mother tried to force her to become a Rhyhorn Racer, and how much she'd come to dislike it. She also knew that taking the long road was the best. That was why she had continued on her journey with Ash, and in those few short weeks since the Master Class, she had grown even further. She doubted she could have done that, taking a shortcut to becoming Kalos Queen by working with Palermo. So, it was no reason that the truth stunned Tau speechless, at least for a minute, until he started laughing.

"How pathetic is all this? !" he barked out after his laughs subsided. "You…you and he…it's like you reject this version of reality where everything isn't rosy."

"That's not true. We just take the positives," Serena challenged. Tau frowned, staring back at her again for a little while longer before scoffing loudly.

"But in some ways…I guess you're right…" he finished. His gaze now diverted itself from Serena's face, looking back up to the expanding time portal. "We  _did_  lose sight of who we were in the mess of all of this. We made the rule 'no children', and then when children became involved, we fought them anyway. We ended up becoming the very thing we hated, and for what? A portal to the past? One that the children we were supposedly trying to save were fighting tooth and nail against us forming it?

"Look at us adults: jaded and cynical individuals, tainted by the world. We didn't think a future was possible unless we changed the past, but you kids…you look at the future every day with bright optimism. You don't let defeat or loss get you down. You take it, mold it, make it a part of yourself and change yourself. In a way, I lost sight of what the future is: those children who will one day grow up to change it. Instead of cultivating the next generation, I was lost in the past…"

"You can change that, though. Starting now," Serena said sternly. She suddenly became acutely aware of the fact that Rocky was staring at her, mouth agape. Tau nodded and he held a hand out. Serena took it. "Truce, then?"

"Yes. A truce." Serena pulled him up, surprised at how light he was. "What do you need me to do?"

"If you're serious, I need you to go into town. Get everyone out of here and away from the town until the battle is over. We have no idea what could happen next."

"You would trust me to do this?" Tau asked. Serena turned away from him, facing towards the fountain in the marketplace before answering.

"I do, because I have to," she told him. "Now, please, hurry." Tau scoffed one more time and nodded, turning towards the road with his hands in his pockets and sprinting down it. In some way, she wondered if she'd ever see him again.

"You're sure it's okay to let him go?" Rocky asked, stepping forward to stand next to her as she watched the near deserted marketplace for her friends. "I mean, he could always stab us in the back."

"I won't let him do that. Tau…I really think they were all just misguided. Besides," Serena decided to remind the boy, turning to him, "weren't we all at each other's throats before the Ancien Debacle? And look how that turned out. I'd like to think we're friends now!"

"That's so naïve…but  _so_  the both of you. You're one heck of a power couple, that's for sure," Rocky snorted out. Serena giggled a little and smiled at him, causing the boy to blush just a little at the kindness. "You really are like a Kalos Queen, you know that? N-Not that I'm into Showcases or anything, but the way you encourage people and inspire them to be better…"

"Thank you," she said graciously. She would have said more, but she noticed two shapes plummeting through the air. Walking forward a few steps, she quickly noticed it to be Noivern, and a lagging Talonflame. Once she noticed, she ran forward, pulling up as Noivern landed and extended his claws outward. "Are these…?"

"Vern!" Noivern cried happily, like he was happy to have carried out his mission. Serena quickly took the two items from Ash's Pokémon, giving it a light hug.

"Great job on bringing us the keystones, Noivern, Talonflame!" Both Pokémon gave off another cry, and Serena turned to Talonflame to retrieve the glove in his claws. While she did so, she looked upward. The portal was still expanding, that much was obvious, but at half the rate that it was expanding before. Ash was buying them time. Now she just had to hold up her end.

"Is that my keysto-" Astrid's voice called out, only to be interrupted by a sudden wrenching sound. The creaking and groaning filled the air, causing Serena to have a need to cover her ears from the absolutely awful noise. Astrid, who was nearby, tripped at the horrid sound, knocking into Rocky and bowling them both over, her on top of him.

"Please, get off," cried Rocky's voice over the horrible noise. Soon, that noise was joined by two other sounds: a crackling sound, like something was having a current run through it, along with Rayquaza's roars. Serena began to fear the worst, and she walked forward, ignoring Astrid completely as she ran to the clustered group of Clemont, Diantha, Chi and Elaine.

"Wh-what's going on?" Serena yelled loudly over the noise. Clemont was trying his best to completely ignore the noises, working away at his important invention. Chi and Elaine, however, were swiveling their heads back and forth as they looked at the device for the cables holding Rayquaza in. Diantha was the only one who seemed to directly notice her.

"Are those the keystones?" she asked. Another cracking noise split the area and Serena felt her heart clench. Still, she held them up to show Diantha. "This one's Siebold's, I think."

"And that's grandpa's!" Korrina suddenly chimed in, jumping forward to grab the glove from Serena's hand. Diantha gingerly took the tie as Astrid finally caught up with her. Smiling at her sheepishly, Serena handed the earring over to the blonde, who instantly took the time to affix it in place.

"Yes, now we're ready to battle at full power!" Astrid cheered, Absol howling with her. Diantha looked a little disappointed, and it was no surprise, considering that her keystone wasn't in amongst the lot. Dalton likely wasn't handing that one over without an extra fight. Serena wouldn't let herself be concerned by that, though. She was far more concerned over the noises and she walked over to Chi and Elaine to repeat her question.

"What's going on?"

"A miscalculation with the cables," Chi answered despondently. "We built them to withstand anything, but they would unlock with Mega Stones used…only…"

"Only Rayquaza doesn't use Mega Stones. The meteorites in its body are what allow the Mega Evolution, presumably," Elaine continued on, seeing that Chi likely wouldn't. "While the Gates seem to have absorbed enough energy from Rayquaza to keep the portal going strong, all that excess energy has to go somewhere…like the cables."

"Wait a sec, are you saying…these cables are-" Rocky definitely wasn't able to finish asking his question. One more cracking noise sounded, only this one sounded more like a mountain cracking wide open, forcing Serena to whip around and look upward. The portal was still expanding at the same speed, but now everything looked different.

"Sylveon, Protect!"

"Gardevoir, Reflect!" Both Pokémon acted right away (particularly Sylveon, once she was out of her pokeball). The great cables that had been concealed in energy split apart, snapping outward and towards them. Only Sylveon and Gardevoir's moves managed to stop them from crushing the group, even if Gardevoir still looked entirely exhausted. Unfortunately, those snapped cables meant something worse was on the way.

_ROOOOOOOOOAR!_

Serena grimaced as she looked upwards once more. With the green haze of the cables gone, she was allowed a much better look at the portal above, brimming with lightning that was shooting up in multiple places. More important than that was the giant dragon before them, opening its mouth wide, ready to attack.

"Clemont!" Serena cried out, hoping to contain her worry. As she did so, she watched Bonnie hug her brother as the roar finished reverberating around the area, shaking the debris by launching it into the air.

"I'm almost done. Team Rocket, how about you?" Clemont yelled out. He held a hand out and Bonnie scampered off to grab a screwdriver and throw it towards him. He caught it with surprising deftness, screwing things into place.

"All set, science twerp!" Jessie called out.

"The Tera-Tera Meowth is ready for action!"

"All dat's left is your stuff!"

"Wobba!"

"Great! I'm just…about…done!" Clemont called out. "I just need to put it in and hook the cable-"

"Don't think we have time for that! Get ready for impact!" Rocky yelled. He was absolutely right as the dragon's maw glowed with a dark intensity, ready to fire off what Serena felt had become its signature attack.

"Then allow me to help," Astrid said seriously. Serena watched as she walked forward, Absol padding at her side, and she clasped her earring with a smirk on her face. "Absol, Mega Evolve!"

Absol howled loudly and Serena watched as its body was enveloped in light, undergoing the process of Mega Evolution. She continued to flick her eyes between the transformation and Rayquaza's impending attack. The light faded first, revealing the Mega Absol with longer fur, longer horns and an energy pulsing through it that made the fur look like wings. Rayquaza fired Hyper Beam.

"Dark Pulse!" Astrid ordered. Absol reared back and fired its own swirling beam of darkness out at the Hyper Beam. The two met in midair, causing a concussive blast. Serena was thrown backwards, caught only by Diantha as the two of them were pushed against the fountain. More tiles were ripped up as Bonnie and Korrina seemed to clutch onto Clemont, who was screaming louder than the both of them. None of them had anything on Team Rocket. The machines that had controlled the cables also went flying off into the brush of the forest, one of them looking to break into pieces. Even Absol was skidding back, Astrid holding onto its fur as its claws dug into the marketplace street.

Serena quickly disentangled herself from Diantha and yelled, "Bethany, Christopher, now!"

"On it! Vanilluxe, Cacturne, fire!" Bethany yelled. The commands weren't specific, but they were clear enough judging from the Ice Beam. She wasn't able to see Cacturne's attack on account of Christopher's Skarmory streaking upward on a collision course.

"Clemont, get those cables attached to the Gates! We'll buy you some time!"

"On it! Bonnie, Korrina, help me out, so we can get into the battle faster!"

"Meanwhile, we'll get the Tera Tera Meowth up and running!" James proclaimed, climbing upward towards the cockpit.

"Yes, my perfect design will be the envy of all Kalos!" Jessie concurred as she followed James.

"It's my design, Jess. No copyright infringement!" Meowth argued, but the trio were already sliding inside the cockpit. Serena breathed in a little and turned to her Pokémon, throwing her hand out and pointing towards Rayquaza, who was buffeted back slightly by Vanilluxe's Ice Beam.

"Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, let's go!" Her words were enough of an order. Braixen held out her wand and sent a flame up towards Rayquaza while Pancham launched an inky black Dark Pulse and Sylveon drove them both forward with Fairy Wind. Rocky and Astrid were pulling their own weight, as well, sending their own powerful attacks with Stone Edge and Dark Pulse at the raging dragon. "As soon as Clemont gets those cables attached, we need a strategy to push it into the portal as quickly as possible. If it reaches full capacity or closes before we can-"

"We're screwed," Rocky finished. That seemed to sum it up adequately. From all around the marketplace, the attacks were flying as Rayquaza tried to turn in any one direction. All too soon, it was charging up another Hyper Beam. "Counter it!"

The Hyper Beam fired, all of the other Pokémon countered it with their own attacks and the explosion ripped across the marketplace, though none of them went flying. It wasn't quite a stalemate, though. They were tired, Serena could tell, while Rayquaza was more than ready for another round. It must have seemed like suicide or lunacy to take it on. To this, Diantha commented.

"You really intend to face this thing?" she asked sternly. "Only Astrid and Korrina can Mega Evolve…and…and Ash may not defeat Dalton. We need to keep that possibility in-"

"Ash  _will_  defeat Dalton," Serena snapped. "We're a team, and a family! Ash never lets us down. He's stronger than anyone knows. He gives us strength, and we return strength in kind. So, yes, we intend to fight Rayquaza, even if it's the last thing we do, because we have to! Because Ash is trusting us to! Just watch us, Diantha. We'll show you the strength that it takes to change the future. And Ash…he'll show you the strength that it takes to win the League and beat you."

Diantha blinked a few times disbelievingly at Serena's words. Meanwhile, all of her Pokémon continued to fire out attacks with impunity. After a moment, the Champion seemed to finally get a grasp on what she wanted to say when a new sound filled the air, drawing Serena's gaze skyward once more.

"Luchaaaaa! Hawlu Lucha Lucha ha!" came the cry. The subsequent call from Noivern all but confirmed his identity as Hawlucha came gliding down, right into Serena's arms. Looped around his neck was Diantha's keystone. Serena quickly took it off and foisted it into Diantha's hands.

"I told you Ash would succeed," she said confidently. Diantha pursed her lips, but accepted her keystone gratefully.

"Why isn't the portal closing?" Serena looked up and noticed that Diantha was right: it wasn't even holding still, but expanding further, if at a much slower rate.

"Because Ash's battle isn't finished yet," Serena told her. She wasn't finished, but she walked forward, Talonflame, Noivern and Hawlucha flanking her while her own Pokémon acted as a vanguard. Throwing her fist into the air, just like Ash would, she declared, "He  _will_  finish it though. In the meantime, though, we have to stop Rayquaza and save Nova Town. So that's what  _I'll_  do."

* * *

"I like that look on your face." Ash stepped forward, Greninja and Pikachu right at his side. At the same time, Medicham seemed to almost ethereally float backward to flank Dalton with Zoroark. "It belies determination and vigor. You really want to defeat me, don't you?"

"I do," Ash said, punching his fist into his palm. "Seamus looked up to you, but I don't think you care what happens to him."

"No, I do, but his needs are secondary to my goals," Dalton responded.

"Yeah? Well, your goals are what's messed up! That's why I'm going to beat you." Dalton grinned a little and Ash continued on, his body tensing for the fight ahead. "Seamus tried to change without you, taking the long path, but you don't care who you hurt. You just want what you want, no matter what gets in the way. You're no different than he was. If anyone needs to change, it's you, not the world!"

"You're just a child. You wouldn't understand."

"Maybe I am," Ash sighed out, reaching up to play with the brim of his hat. "But I'm also the child that's going to prove you wrong. Pikachu, Quick Attack on Zoroark! Greninja, use Double Team!"

"Pika!"

"Gren!" Pikachu zipped through the area, right for the black fox in front of him, while Greninja brought his hands together and numerous clones appeared all around the area, confusing even Medicham for a moment. Ash took that moment to run at Dalton. Maybe he wasn't a match for the man, but none of that mattered. He would do this. Pikachu slammed into Zoroark right as Ash ran past and punched at Dalton. The man batted aside the fist.

"Shadow Claw."

"Counter with Iron Tail!" Ash cried out, bringing own knee up for Dalton to sidestep it. Zoroark's claws brimmed with shadows as she slashed at Pikachu. His tail glowed white and he swiped upward. The two attacks collided in a burst of light and dark before disengaging. Zoroark swiped again and Pikachu rolled along the ground to bring his Iron Tail up again. The two continued to clash; as one Iron Tail and Shadow Claw would connect, Pikachu would flip through the air to counter the next attack. "Now, use Cut!"

"Ninja!" Greninja cried out and his clones rushed down en masse, white blades of light protruding from all of them. Medicham didn't seem to be able to focus on any particular one.

"Bullet Punch." Medicham's eyes focused and all six of its arms flew out with dizzying, bright speed. With Dalton distracted by the attack, Ash aimed for his side, only for his arm to be caught. Dalton flipped him over onto the ground, where he groaned out, pain flushing through. He was able to see one of the Bullet Punches nail Greninja in the chest and send him backwards.

"Water Shuriken!" Ash yelled. As he did so, Pikachu's Iron Tail seemed to lock with Zoroark's Shadow Claw, the fox using both claws to prevent Pikachu from gaining an inch in the battle. "Pikachu, use Electro Ball, just like with Bunnelby!"

"Pika pika pika pika chu pi!" Pikachu cried. The buzzing orb of electricity formed and then blasted out from Pikachu's tail, right into Zoroark's face. At the same time, Greninja spun through the air, clasping his hands to his sides before launching a Water Shuriken at Medicham. Both attacks found their marks, with Pikachu's allowing him to separate and flip back from Zoroark.

"Dark Pulse," Dalton commanded confidently. Ash swept his leg, but the man jumped over it. It still allowed Ash a chance to crawl back up, ready for another round. Zoroark thrust her arms forward and fired the dark beam that hit Pikachu in mid-flip, causing him to use his tail as a brake along the length of the airship. Said airship began to shake again, tilting a little more, but Ash didn't lose his balance.

"Aerial Ace, let's go!" Greninja ran forward, his arms glowing white as he rushed at Medicham. Once he reached the Meditation Pokémon, he struck outward, slamming it in the face before heading for the stomach. Ash was on the move, too, punching at Dalton. The man batted his attack aside, but Ash wasn't quitting. He made another strike that was blocked, and then another. Soon, he found he was moving just a little faster, himself. All that time with Greninja was paying off. One of his punches was suddenly caught, but Ash's other hand came roaring forward and snapped into Dalton's nose, separating the two of them.

At the same time, Pikachu was running forward without a command. Zoroark fired off another Dark Pulse, but Pikachu dashed to the side and slammed forward. "Thunderbolt!"

"Chuuuuuu!" Pikachu cried out, the great bolt of electricity searing his foe as he backed off. Zoroark convulsed a little as her body flew backwards, steaming just a bit. Then Greninja's fist knocked into Medicham's stomach, sending it flying until it righted itself. Ash put some distance between himself and Dalton. The leader of Team Neo rubbed his cheek, grinning a little as he looked back up.

"Didn't expect that," he commented. "Most people don't bother training their bodies, and I thought you'd be no different."

"A few months ago, and I would have been," Ash answered. "It's different now, though. Me and Greninja, and everyone else, we're all moving forward together. If I wanted to grow stronger together with them, I needed to change. I needed to find myself again. Part of that was being stronger physically, so I could keep up with him. I wanted to do that, and that's why I know we can beat you. Right, Greninja? Pikachu?"

"Pikapi!"

"Ninja Greninja!" Ash smiled at their confidence in one another as a whole team.

"We walked a long road to get to the Kalos League, and it wasn't easy," Ash told Dalton, raising his hand into the air, clasped in a fist. "I had to look at myself, and change who I was. I had to work hard, training every day. You want to skip all that? Fine, but don't drag other people in. If you really want to change the world, then let go of your pain and change it one step at a time! Free yourself!"

"Such naiveté," Dalton scoffed out. "I suppose our differences are irreconcilable on this. You believe change is natural, but I know it isn't. Just look at Seamus, how easily he fell back into his old ways when myself or Travis was involved."

"It  _is_  natural. It just isn't easy," Ash argued.

"And that's where we differ," Dalton concluded. "I suppose…this means I'll have to beat that lesson into you."

"No way! We're getting stronger, and we're going to show you how we've changed as a team by beating you. We trained a long time and forged bonds stronger than ever to get this far. We didn't take the easy path! We got knocked down! We got up again! Now we'll show you how much that long path has given us strength! Greninja, let's go!"

"Ninja!"

Light rushed through the area, and Ash could feel it happening. He and Greninja were as one, seeing what the other saw, feeling what the other felt. Ribbons of energy surrounded them and Ash felt his body becoming lighter, more limber. A torrent gushed out from behind him, and Ash didn't need to look. He  _felt_  it happening. He felt the water coalesce into an orb on Greninja's back before becoming like wings and then solidifying in the shape of shuriken. The transformation complete, Ash stepped forward, raising his fist as Greninja did the same.

"What  _is_  this?" Dalton asked, his mouth agape. Ash smirked a little.

"Our bond!" he yelled, and he ran at Dalton again, feeling his speed already increase. "It's the proof of our change together! I'll trust in him, and he'll trust in me! Greninja, use Cut on Zoroark! Pikachu, Iron Tail on Medicham!"

He didn't need Greninja's response aloud. He felt it. Shining light manifested in Greninja's hands, taking the shape of kunai as he ran at Zoroark. Ash emulated him. His Pokémon slashed upward, cutting across Zoroark's chest while Ash made an uppercut that Dalton barely avoided. Pikachu leapt back and forth until he was within Medicham's range before bounding upwards with his tail and spinning before landing with a crack on the Mega's head with Iron Tail.

"Use Cut again!" Ash ordered and Greninja spun around. Ash did as well, elbowing Dalton in the stomach. The older man was pushed back with an "oof", though he was able to retain enough focus to snap his fingers. Medicham's body burst with blue, and it charged forward. Pikachu, still in his Iron Tail position flew off, crying out in pain. "Electro Ball! Aerial Ace!"

"…chu pi!" Pikachu cried, rebounding through the air to fling an orb of electricity at Medicham, striking head on. Greninja's limbs all glowed as he kicked upward. Ash did as well, barely missing Dalton. Zoroark acted without Dalton's commands, her claws of shadow striking at Greninja. He was too fast though, like flowing water, and Ash became that water with him. Greninja struck out with a fist, slamming into Zoroark's face while Ash punched at Dalton as well. Before the man could grab his arm, he retracted it, spinning around and slamming his forearm against the man's head while Greninja did the same. They both ended it with a flying kick, right into their opponent's stomachs.

"Unbelievable…" Dalton gasped out as Ash slammed his foot down. He wasn't done; not until Dalton was defeated. "Such power…such tenacity…"

"Keep going!" Ash yelled. Pikachu, still suspended momentarily in midair, flung his tail multiple times, sending Electro Ball after Electro Ball at Medicham, who attempted to block them with its multiple arms. Greninja, too, was pushing forward, punching and kicking at Zoroark, growing faster with each successive strike. Ash, too was growing faster, though Dalton wasn't letting him get a hit in any longer, batting aside one blow, or ducking for another.

"Now, I understand," he said and he jammed his head forward, knocking his against Ash's. "You're  _not_  a child. You're a warrior…that's why…"

"I don't care what I am! I'm winning no matter what!" Ash roared, dodging to the side and landing a kick on Dalton's backside. The man acted like he barely even felt it. "Double Team, Greninja!"

Ash leapt away from Dalton while Greninja did the same, both of them slamming their palms together. Only Greninja could create copies of itself, though, but that suited Ash just fine. It was time to switch it back up again, especially since it seemed Pikachu couldn't get a hit in on Medicham on his own.

"Dark Pulse and Bullet Punch. Don't give them time to take a breath! This is a battle to the end!" Dalton spat out. Zoroark moved her claws together and blasted out the inky dark energy while Medicham floated forward.

"Counter Shield, Pikachu! Don't let her touch Greninja!" Pikachu acknowledged by vaulting forward and spinning onto his back, sending sparks of his Thunderbolt everywhere. The Dark Pulse impacted but was deflected, not even getting close to Pikachu. At the same time, Medicham was forced to pull back, just as Ash had intended. Looking through Greninja's eyes, he could see that he had gotten close enough to strike. "Aerial Ace, let's go!"

At once, the copies vanished, disappearing like pools of water. Only Greninja was in the air behind Medicham. Dalton turned to yell out when Ash kicked out at him. Dalton jumped to the side to avoid the blow that slammed into the airship deck. Medicham wasn't nearly as lucky, itself falling down and colliding with the deck from Greninja's attack.

"Bullet Punch." Ash realized that Dalton was no longer snapping, and that gave Ash the chance to punch towards his face. Medicham got there first, its six arms snapping outward at intervals to pummel onto Greninja. Wincing with pain, Ash grabbed at his stomach. Those punches hit a lot harder than he thought. Even worse, Dalton seemed to take note, and advantage, of it. He punched downward, striking Ash on the head and the raven haired trainer was forced to his knees, even while Greninja recovered in midair.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried out.

"No worries," Ash said through gritted teeth. "Send an Electro Ball at Medicham, and hit it with Iron Tail!"

"Pika!" Pikachu yelled in response. He rolled back onto all fours and leapt onto Zoroark's back before using that as a springboard to get into the air as he charged an Electro Ball. Then he fired it, whipped around with his glowing Iron Tail, and slammed into it. The velocity of the attack increased, and before Medicham could punch through it with Bullet Punch, it collided.

"I think you're forgetting your position. Shadow Claw!"

"Iron Tail!" Zoroark sprang upward, aiming right for Pikachu, who was descending with his Iron Tail having never faded. The two slammed into each other, the expulsion of air rippling through the area. It only took seconds for Pikachu to be the stronger one and slam Zoroark back onto the deck. "Now, use Cut!"

Greninja landed on the deck, summoning forth both of his kunai, and Ash's hands balled into fists, like he was gripping them as he once more got to his feet and ran at Dalton. Before he could reach him, Dalton kicked out, and Ash barely avoided it.

"Gravity." Ash's eyes narrowed, but a smile came to his face. That was the command he had been waiting for.

"Greninja, throw your kunai into the air above Medicham and get in close!" Ash charged forward, throwing his hands high. The blades from Greninja's hands flew upwards just as Gravity set in. Ash was too close to Dalton for it to affect him and his hands caught the leader's hands in a grapple. Greninja was also close to Medicham, though he had sunken to one knee. It was just in time, too, as the kunai came rocketing down under the force of Gravity and impaled themselves in Medicham's back. The effect was instantly canceled, allowing Ash to make his move. "Water Shuriken!"

"Greninja!" his faithful Pokémon called out, grabbing the shuriken on his back. As he came back up, he tossed it, while Ash threw an uppercut. The watery blade struck Medicham, making it fly backwards, while Ash's fist connected with Dalton's chin and sent him stumbling.

"Holy…" Seamus' voice came out. He sounded better, if still hurt. Ash briefly looked to the side, seeing that the blond was watching the battle with wide eyes. "What…I don't…You're…"

He wasn't able to complete his sentence as suddenly the airship pitched to the side. A peal of lightning, or maybe it was simply an expulsion of air, ripped through the bridge of the airship. Ash and Greninja both brought themselves into a crouch to avoid the effects, but it was easy to tell what was going on: the airship was drifting towards the lake, and it was descending. It wasn't fast enough to ensure certain doom, or anything like that, but Ash knew the fight needed to be finished sooner or later. He needed to defeat Dalton, get that keystone and stop the portal from opening. Serena could take care of the rest down below.

Dalton was recovering a little as the airship seemed to stabilize. Overhead, bursts of energy flitted through the air like crackling lightning, and Ash could see the portal acting erratic in the distance. "I was mistaken…I believed that as a child, you had no right to be fighting. That was wrong of me. To assume you were a child, I mean. Hmph, at the very least, I now know there are children to whom I could entrust the future…if I wasn't going to change it."

"Not this again," Ash groaned exasperatedly. He made a quick look over to see that Pikachu was okay, and well-separated from Zoroark. "You just don't listen. So, I guess we're just going to have to finish this, right now! Guys, let's do this!"

"Pika pika!"

"Ninja gren!" Both of Ash's partners ran forward, Greninja blitzing ahead as he summoned his kunai straight from his water shuriken. Dalton didn't even give a command as Greninja approached Medicham. The Meditate Pokémon acted on its own, throwing all six of its fists forward in a Bullet Punch. At the same exact moment, Dalton struck, bringing his knee towards Ash. The raven-haired trainer spun to the side and then punched downward as Greninja sliced down to knock one of the Bullet Punches away. His other kunai came up with incredible speed that Ash emulated. Both of them struck their opponents in the chest.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Dear, use Dark Pulse!" Pikachu held his ground, sending the raging volt of electricity at Zoroark just as she sent her own Dark Pulse. The two attacks collided, creating a small orb of yellow and purple in the center before pulsing outward in an explosion. Zoroark seemed to take advantage of that moment to rush through the haze with her shadowy claws extended to her sides.

"Get back, Pikachu. Greninja, Double Team!" Pikachu bounded back to avoid Zoroark's slash downward. Once more Greninja called his forms forward, some in the air and some on the ground. This time, Medicham wasn't nearly as confused. Nor was Dalton.

"Zen Headbutt. Clear away those copies. I'll-oof!" Ash took advantage of the momentary distraction to elbow him in the stomach. However, Medicham blazed with the blue light again and sailed forward, flying through the air at its own incredible speed to clear away the copies one by one. Ash smirked; Greninja had vanished, once more appearing in the air above it.

"Cut!" Greninja sailed down bringing both kunai together into one, like a double-edged sword that seemed to elongate as water was drawn from his shuriken before slicing right through Medicham. Ash also ran at Dalton and slammed both fists upon his back, only for Dalton to kick across his legs and trip him over. He then sent his foot crashing down, which Ash was forced to roll away from.

"Focus Punch. Charge it and hit Pikachu!"

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail to get really high, then use Electro Ball!" Pikachu gritted his own teeth but made his tail glow white. He slammed it on the airship surface, making some of the surface buckle under the strength as he leapt high, higher than even Greninja had gotten before, before quickly whipping around and flinging two Electro Balls at each opponent. As the attack went off, Medicham's aura pulsed and it flew at Pikachu. "Block it, Greninja!"

"Nin!" Greninja cried, disappearing from the area, only to appear in front of Medicham to use both blades as shield. Neither yielded, however, though the Electro Ball sailed harmlessly by. The other one struck Zoroark.

"Extend your blades," Ash grunted out as Dalton punched at him. Ash crossed his arms to block the blow, though it was heavy in nature, pushing him back. It was almost like  _he_  was synchronized with his Medicham. Nevertheless, Greninja's kunai suddenly elongated like two blades which he twirled, slamming them both into Medicham and flinging him upward with a slice. At that, Ash's own hands moved, getting his fists underneath Dalton's punch to drive upward with an uppercut that knocked him back a little. Dalton retaliated with a kick to his side that made Ash gag. He really wasn't ready for this kind of physical action.

"Fire your strongest Dark Pulse, now!"

"Grrah!" Zoroark cried, bounding into the air with a large beam of darkness coalescing between her claws. Then she fired, and the power contained therein seemed akin to Medicham's Focus Punch, splitting the air itself. And Pikachu was a prone target.

"Block it with your Water Shuriken!" Greninja padded quickly across the surface to get between Pikachu and the Dark Pulse, just as Pikachu had done for him. He then took his watery shuriken from his back and held it front. The Dark Pulse collided, sending off surprising waves of heat, though Greninja refused to buckle. That allowed Ash to use an attack neither could see coming. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt through the shuriken!"

"Pikachuuuuuuuu!" Pikachu cried as he slid under Greninja's legs and sent forth a Thunderbolt so powerful, it looked like its every movement was practically being controlled. It arced upward and sailed right through the watery surface. By charging the surface of the water, the Dark Pulse exploded on contact, dissipating completely. Ash furrowed his brow, an idea forming as the Thunderbolt continued to sail on and nail Zoroark.

"A combination, is it?" Dalton grunted, aiming another kick at Ash. He jumped back to avoid it, but just barely, Dalton's boot scraping along his shirt. "Use Zen Headbutt while charging Focus Punch!"

"Redirect your shuriken, and block it!" Ash cried out. Dalton was charging at him just like Medicham, only instead of his head, it was his fists driving forward, joined together. Medicham was glowing blue, aiming right for Greninja as it picked up speed. Greninja stepped to the side at first, allowing Medicham to zoom past before it angled around. The blue aura sputtered out, but Medicham kept going with its Focus Punch that it then slammed into the Water Shuriken Shield. Ash held his own hands out to block Dalton's blow, but his palms certainly smarted from the attack.

"Grrrroooo!" Zoroark growled, and Ash had to turn his head to see Pikachu barely dodging an enraged Zoroark's Shadow Claw, skirting under the Pokémon's legs.

"Now, Iron Tail uppercut!" Pikachu immediately did as asked, tail glowing white as he sliced upward across Zoroark's backside.

"Night Daze, my dear," Dalton called.

"Counter Shield!" Ash roared, still trying to hold off Dalton's locked fists. Zoroark's body glowed red as Pikachu ran away from the fox. Then the aura burst out as soon as Pikachu, looking tired, flung himself onto his back and spun while putting out a Thunderbolt. The two attacks battered against one another, and it was looking to be more a contest of endurance than strength. "Greninja, break free with Aerial Ace!"

"Greeeeeen…ninja!" Greninja cried, his leg glowing white as he kicked out, finally separating himself from Medicham. The Water Shuriken Shield disappeared, only to once more manifest itself on his back. Ash also kicked outward, nailing Dalton in the shin and disengaging them. Neither was backing down however.

"Bullet Punch!"

"Aerial Ace!" Medicham and Greninja ran at each other. Dalton and Ash collided with each other. All six arms of Medicham's flew all over the place at a blistering speed. To counteract it, all four of Greninja's limbs glowed white and he would kick up, only to twirl around and punch the next fist away. Then that would be followed with another punch or a kick. It was a dizzying display of limbs flying all over the place. It wasn't limited to their battle alone. Dalton was now throwing punch after punch at Ash and he was ducking and swerving while throwing his own punches and kicks to avoid the attacks. He couldn't avoid the attacks with flips like Greninja, and his hands were definitely starting to hurt from the fight, but seeing his Pokémon battle so hard, there was no way he was giving up. He punched forward with all his might and met one of Dalton's fists with his own.

At the same time, Greninja's fist met with Medicham's, sending another explosion throughout the entire area. Ash separated a little from Dalton and even Pikachu and Zoroark gained some distance. It was like two titans colliding in midair, and Greninja was the stronger. Medicham was pushed farther back.

"Time to wrap this up, guys!" Ash yelled as another bolt of energy seared across the back end of the airship. "Bring them together with Aerial Ace and Iron Tail!"

"Ninja nin!"

"Pikachu!" Ash clasped a fist and ran right at Dalton once more, who was actually starting to look tired, heaving after their last clash.

"It's over, Dalton!" Ash roared. To the side of him, Greninja seemed to be siphoning his water shuriken to imbibe his limbs with water before running at Medicham. "We're not letting you change our world to the way you want it to be! We'll do it ourselves! Together! If you don't like that…"

"What will you do?" Dalton yelled as Ash finally reached him and punched, nailing him on the shoulder. Dalton's own punch came flying out to strike his stomach, but Ash felt himself moving faster…feeling faster…striking faster, at the same speed that Greninja was now wailing on Medicham. The Ninja Pokémon's attacks were hitting fiercely slamming across Medicham's face, its stomach, its sides, slamming downward. It was a flurry of limbs, and Ash was matching every movement. Even Dalton seemed unable to keep up. "So…fast…."

"I'll beat you! We'll all beat you! This world is ours. Like I told Zinnia, it's not just up to you! So, if you don't like that, then change yourself! FREE YOURSELF!"

Behind him, Pikachu was bouncing around on his tail while striking Zoroark with Iron Tail. She tried to respond, but Pikachu was filled with his own trainer's vigor, unable to be stopped as he slammed across every part of Zoroark. Dalton froze at the sight of it, and at Ash's words. Ash finally took the opportunity to jump up and punch Dalton right in the face, just as Greninja did the same to Medicham. Both then whirled around and with a final kick sent them on track to collide with each other. Then Pikachu made a final Iron Tail that sent Zoroark to join them.

"Let's finish this!" Ash cried, pumping his fist into the air. "Pikachu, use Electro Ball! Greninja, combine that with Water Shuriken!"

"Pika pika pika pika pika pika pika pika…chu pi!"

"Greeeeeeen…ninja!" Pikachu's Electro Ball flew out at the same time as Greninja's Water Shuriken. The two met in midair and the rotation of the shuriken caught onto the Electro Ball, the orb firmly lodging itself in its center as it whirled towards its target. Large bolts of electricity flew out from being conducted by the water, searing into parts of the airship's deck. Ash once more pumped his fist. It was just as he'd hoped from seeing Pikachu's Thunderbolt earlier.

Dalton appeared to recover from the blow, looking up just as the final attack landed, exploding outward in a shower of water and sparks that engulfed the entire deck, obscuring them from view. Ash just waited, until at last the dust cleared, revealing their three opponents. Medicham was falling forward, slumping on the ground, its Mega Evolution disappearing. Zoroark was on her knees, heaving in breaths and nearly unmoving. All of them had been pushed to the edge of the airship, which Ash realized was dropping towards the lake slowly. However, he was more focused on Dalton, who was standing there, his mouth agape and parts of his body smoking.

The battle was over.

Greninja's form faded away and all Ash could do was exhale, walking slowly towards Dalton as he teetered back and forth. From his periphery, he could see Seamus staring at him in awe. Once Ash was near enough, the leader of Team Neo spoke.

"Ash…Ketchum…do you have…no limits…?" he gasped out. Ash took a step forward.

"Of course I do. That's why we work with other people in the world to make change. They carry on and help us when we reach our limits…like Serena did for me," Ash remarked, thinking of his girlfriend with a smile. Dalton coughed and gave a slight chuckle.

"Perhaps…instead of fighting you…I should have…entrusted the future…to you…" It seemed an odd thing to say, making Ash frown a bit. Until he saw Dalton fall back, towards the very edge of the airship, his feet slipping off of it. Ash quickly ran forward.

"Dalton!" he screamed, though he knew he wasn't the only one yelling it. Dalton didn't stop and the keystone lodged in his device popped free, rolling oddly along the inclined ship towards Seamus. The blond stopped it, as Ash ran forward desperately, before he slammed his foot upon the keystone. It cracked, and the torrent of energy that had been flowing suddenly stopped. No more pink and purple glow, replaced only with a fading green just as Ash reached the edge, extending his hand towards Dalton.

His fingers fumbled for the tips of Dalton's…only for the man to turn his hand and slap it away. Then he plummeted towards the surface of the lake, far too many feet to count away. Ash's gaze widened in disbelief at the man falling, at not being able to save him…at him smiling. It only took a few moments longer to hear the sickening splash.

"Greninja, go!" Ash yelled. Greninja nodded, dashing for the edge and diving off, angling towards the lake for Dalton. Feeling confident that Greninja could succeed, Ash stood. "Phew…well, we did it Pikachu."

"Pika," was the simple response. Ash looked over to his best buddy, smiling as he did so. His eyes slid over the forms of Medicham and Zoroark, utterly defeated, but otherwise okay. He was glad that it was over. All that was left now was for Serena to do her job, and judging by the sounds he could now hear with his battle complete, she certainly was. Not to mention the green glow from the marketplace seemed to be fading. Ash closed his eyes a moment to take a breath. "Pika!"

"Wha-?" Hot searing pain struck across Ash's chest and he gripped his side. It felt warm, like he was bleeding. "Gah!"

"Pikap-" Now, Pikachu's own voice was strangled and Ash snapped his eyes open to see a Salamence ripping across his best friend with a green-glowing Dragon Claw, tossing him over the edge of the airship. Clutching his side tightly, Ash ran for the edge, only to be kicked in the back. He stumbled forward, sliding off the edge ungracefully, his right hand grabbing onto a loose piece of metal that had been broken off by the energy strikes. His left hand, meanwhile, reached out and quickly grabbed Pikachu before he could fall further. The action strained his side and Ash cried out in pain.

Finally, he looked up and a scowl stretched his face. "Travis…"

Above him, standing on the edge with a particularly nasty snarl on his face was Travis. He was gasping for breath as his Salamence hovered low above him and his teeth were bared like some kind of wounded animal. "Not this time, Ketchum…"

"What are you-agh!" Pain shot through Ash's side once more and it was all he could do to keep holding on to both the airship and Pikachu, who appeared to have passed out.

"I'm not letting you take my win from me. Not in the here and now. Not in the past," Travis sneered, though it came as more of a growl. "I'm ending your miserable existence here, just like Dalton should have ended his."

"Travis, stop it! Just, stop!"

"Salamence, char his bones with Flamethrower!" Salamence gave a great roar and Ash's mind despaired for just a moment. He was unsure of what to do: take the attack, or let go and plummet. All he could do was grip Pikachu a little tighter in his arm.

"Bind." It was a low volume command, but even over the wind howling in his ears, Ash could hear it clearly. There was a loud whipping noise, drawing Ash's head upward to see Salamence's wings and limbs snap to its sides, the Dragon Pokémon suddenly tumbling off towards the forest, away from all of them. Travis looked around, confused, but even from Ash's position, he could see that Seamus was standing, his Tangrowth before him.

"Seamus…" Travis snapped. "Let me guess, you helped this loser defeat Dalton?"

"He did most of it on his own," Seamus said, shuffling forward towards his old friend. "So, why are you here, Travis?"

"You know why. I'm taking back my-"

"Power Whip." Tangrowth acted without hesitation, despite looking to hold some sadness in its eyes. Either way, its vines whipped outward, cracking as they did so, to strike Travis against the face and the chest. It must have hurt greatly because Travis screamed, his body facing Ash for a moment to show his jumpsuit split, with a great cut running along it. The scar on his nose that had been concealed by the burn had split wide open, it seemed, now making a gash across half his face.

"What are you doing? !" Travis roared, spit flying from his mouth. "I was your friend, wasn't I? You would attack me, give that all up, for him?"

"No," Seamus responded, continuing to shuffle forward towards Travis as the redhead clutched at his wounds. "I'm not giving anything up for Ash. I'm doing it for me."

" _You_?" Travis screamed out incredulously. "You don't have a 'you' to begin with. We were all Dalton's foot soldiers until we reunited. That was when we had something that was just ourselves. And we could go back to that!"

"Dalton…he warped all of our lives. He lost Merle, and he let it control his actions," Seamus said, gasping as he did so. It was clear even to Ash that his wounds were acting up, though he just wanted to focus on his own. "But in some way…he was right. I can't change, no matter how much I want to."

"Of course you can't," Travis spat out. "But that won't matter. We can go back. We can make this all right. Start again from zero like you wanted and make it the way we wanted it to be. The way we need it to be."

Seamus finally reached Travis and leaned forward to place a hand on his shoulder. Ash's hand shifted as the metal groaned beneath his fingertips. It was just like last time. Just like when Seamus first tried to help Travis on the first airship. "Yes, we can make this all right."

"All we have to do is get the keystones again. We can do this, Seamus," Travis was saying, a giddy smile on his face, accented as near psychotic thanks to his wounds. Seamus said nothing for a moment, but after that moment passed, he pulled Travis in and hugged him.

"You know, ever since the tournament, all I've wanted to do is change, but you haven't," the blond whispered. Travis didn't make a move, held fast by Seamus' embrace. "You never tried. Meeting Dalton again, I understood why. And he was right…I can't change; not as long as you're around." Then Ash heard another loud snapping noise as a vine wrapped itself tightly around the pair and Seamus looked up into Travis' eyes.

"So, let's end this together."

Then he tossed himself and Travis off the edge. Ash's mouth opened in a soundless scream just as the metal underneath his fingers finally gave way and all three hurtled towards the end together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This chapter was hell to write…but it was so rewarding. A lot of it was, obviously, very battle focused and I tried to make them as intense as ever. Particularly the final battle between Ash and Dalton: from Ash hammering the truth into Dalton's stubborn head, to the synchronization matching up with Ash actually physically fighting Dalton. It was tough, but I think I came up with my best battle yet, and I hope you thought so, too. If not, tell me which ones in the Ancienverse you feel have been better! I'd love to know!
> 
> Of course, the chapter wasn't all battles. There was a lot of meat to it as well. We finally learn the motivation of the final Alpha Squad member, and Serena shows her growing penchant for leadership…and Rocky almost joined her growing legion of fanboys. Originally, Serena's conversation with Diantha was going to be longer, extended about how Ash will win and blah blah blah, but the timeline didn't track so I had to shorten it. However, the ending was as intact as ever: Travis coming in for revenge, only for Seamus to throw them both over towards their deaths. Travis is the very definition of a toxic friend, and it took almost the whole story for Seamus to realize this. He can't save him. And if he can't save him, he feels he can't save himself either. This was the only option. But what did you think of it?
> 
> We're very close to the end of the story now, and I hope you'll stick with it until the very end. So, until we next meet in two days, please remember to Review and Dare to Be Silly.


	17. A Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad a lot of people enjoyed last chapter's battle. Other than that, not much to say…um…uh…yay for the Pokémon movie we won't see until the dub! (?) Meh, time for Chapter 17!

Chapter 17

A Death

"Everybody, look out!"

Serena's cry was just on time for every trainer to toss themselves to the ground. Even Diantha was forced to throw herself on the ground as Rayquaza shot off another Hyper Beam. Serena was forced to hold her hat onto her head from the blistering wind that formed from the attack. Explosions resounded out beyond her and chunks of gravel rained on her head.

"Are…are you all right?" Diantha asked with a cough. Serena felt she should have been asking the Champion that question, herself, because she was already on her feet moments later. However, Diantha was struggling and needed the hand that Serena held out to help herself up. "Thank you."

"That thing is berserk…" Astrid commented, staring ahead at the undulating form of Rayquaza. It certainly looked exactly as Astrid had described it: angry and lashing out. Another Hyper Beam seemed to already be charging up in its maw. Serena had to shake her head at that, since the effects of the previous one could still be felt and heard as a tree toppled in the distance. Looking up at the great dragon, she could see flashes of lightning, signifying Ash and Pikachu battling overhead. It made her want to just clasp her hands and pray for his safety, but Rayquaza was a much bigger issue.

"If we let it continue on, it will destroy this town without a second thought," Diantha observed. The older woman took her necklace, keystone included, and put it over her neck, sighing with relief.

"Well, it doesn't seem as strong as it did back in Ancien City," Rocky commented. Rayquaza fired once more, this time in the direction of the nearby lake. Serena winced a little as the attack impacted with the surface, sending the water high along with other airship debris while outlining the fact that the Mark Omega was somehow unbelievably close to it. "That's a good thing, right?"

"Define 'good'," Astrid said. Absol shook its head and snorted in agreement. Rocky just glared at the blonde, but thankfully they didn't devolve into a fight. Serena turned to Diantha to see the Champion clutching her side. Gardevoir also looked quite tired.

"Diantha, maybe it's best if you sit this out. You and Gardevoir-" she began, only for the older woman to look at her harshly.

"Sit out? Now?" Diantha asked, gripping her keystone. "We may be exhausted and wounded, but I cannot sit by the sidelines while children fight my battles for me. Not anymore."

Serena frowned, not liking the response she had been given. Instead, she stepped forward and reached up to grab Diantha's shoulders. "We're  _not_  children. Trust us."

"That's not what I meant," Diantha attempted to explain, wincing once more. "I understand that, but as a Champion, I have a duty to see this through. What kind of Champion would I be to let you shoulder all the burden?"

"But you're not, Champion," Astrid said respectfully. "We chose this burden on our own. Any one of us could have turned and left Nova Town to itself, but we didn't. We chose to stand here and fight. At best, you're just aiding us."

"Astrid is right," Serena concurred. "We can handle Rayquaza because we choose to." Diantha could only stare in amazement at the group of them, each of them grinning at her as another Hyper Beam shot off into one of the streets. More stones flew upward, but Rocky had been right; Rayquaza's current Hyper Beams were not on the complete city-destroying level that they supposedly were back in Ancien.

"You realize that once you attack it, it  _will_  turn its attentions to you? You'll be in for the fight of your lives," Diantha pointed out. Serena stepped back, towards her Pokémon and Ash's and grinned.

"We've already had that one!" she proclaimed. "Rayquaza is nothing compared to Zinnia. All we have to do is get it into that portal before it closes or opens all the way."

"Easier said than done…" Diantha murmured out, but she eventually nodded with a graceful smile on her face. "Then I'll trust in you. Not as children, but as fellow trainers. I'll join the battle once Gardevoir has regained enough stamina to Mega Evolve."

"Awesome! Just stay out of the way until then, Champion," Rocky insisted. Serena turned back around at that, catching a glimpse of Clemont, Bonnie and Korrina running around to get their cables attached to the Four Gates. She didn't need to see the Champion's reaction. Rayquaza was what lay before her.

"Everyone ready?" Serena asked of the Pokémon around her. Each of them cheered, even Ash's Pokémon. "Okay, then. Together!"

"Incoming!" Astrid called out. Rayquaza had seemed to finally take notice of all of them clustered down below and was now shooting straight for them, the black beam coalescing in its jaw before firing down at them. "Absol, use Dark Pulse!"

"You, too, Pancham! Braixen, Flamethrower!" Absol opened its mouth wide and fired its own black beam out. Pancham joined in, throwing his own Dark Pulse from his hands while Braixen dispensed with the wand usage and let the torrent of flame come straight from her mouth. The three attacks collided with the Hyper Beam. The ensuing explosion made Serena's dress ruffle backwards, but all of them stood their ground. Rocky was making his move.

"Wreck it!" Rocky yelled. Rhyperior leaned back, forming the red glowing rock between its hands and chucking it at Rayquaza. Serena was surprised at the altitude that it could reach, snapping into Rayquaza's jaw and making its body flip over on itself. The dragon's head started sailing for the ground but righted itself before it reached that surface. Then it suddenly zoomed along the ground, its body glowing white as it headed for the Gate of Wind. It was faster than Serena thought. "Stop it with Stone Edge!"

"Perior!" Rhyperior roared. Jagged chunks of stone surrounded Rhyperior's body and flew out, battering themselves against Rayquaza's body. The Sky High Pokémon didn't stop at all and as its body writhed along the ground, Serena noticed that Bonnie was on the other side of the Gate, attaching the cables.

"Bonnie, get out of the way!" she screamed, hoping the lemon-blonde girl would hear. That part was successful, because Bonnie looked up and Serena could see her eyes widen a moment.

"Vanilluxe, seal up that entrance with Ice Beam!" Serena snapped her head to see that Bethany had abandoned her post, now running towards the center of the marketplace to join them. She had a feeling that Christopher had done the same. Not that it mattered; their fight was centered on Rayquaza, and it was better to have them here than standing off to the side. The Snowstorm Pokémon spun along the ground until it was within range to fire off the frigid beam. It was quick enough that an ice wall suddenly formed directly in front of Rayquaza.

Within a moment, Rayquaza slammed headfirst into the wall, shattering it into pieces, but making it recoil with a cry. Bethany pumped her fist in victory, but knew enough to not celebrate, especially once Rayquaza whipped around to face all of them. Its head reared back, a purple glow emanating from its mouth before its eyes flashed and the beam fired. It soared out, dragon-shaped and viciously sputtering as it aimed for them.

"Noivern, cover them all. Sylveon, use Protect!"

"You, too, Rhyperior!" The Fairy type and Rock type stepped forward in front of everyone. Rhyperior held its hands front while Sylveon snaked her feelers out. Either way, both formed a glowing green shield that extended across all five trainers and their Pokémon as the Dragon Pulse struck. "Just hang in there!"

"Okay, Hawlucha, circle around and use Flying Press!"

"Lucha?" Hawlucha asked, almost like he was amused by being given orders by Serena. It didn't stop him from obeying them, though. Hawlucha wasn't the only one on the move. Absol was also darting out from behind the shield as the Dragon Pulse weakened in power. It was joined by Crawdaunt. Serena watched as Hawlucha jumped onto Absol's back with a cheeky grin before using that as a launching point to spread his wings from his victory pose and slam right into Rayquaza's coiled body. "Hawlucha ha!"

"Use Psycho Cut!" Astrid ordered. "Make it weak enough that it's easier to move!"

"Sol!" Absol barked out, whipping its head forward and sending the purple crescent straight at Rayquaza's midsection. Serena then watched as Crawdaunt scuttled along the ground, its pincers glowing purple before it slashed at a different section. Rayquaza suddenly howled, either in pain or anger. Whatever it was, it made Serena clasp her ears. Next to her, the others were doing the same, and the barriers were dropping. By the time she had recovered enough, Rayquaza's body was glowing white and speeding off towards the Gate of Wind once again. Towards Bonnie once again. Only its mouth was glowing, too.

"Sylveon, grab Rayquaza and hold it back with your feelers!" Serena yelled.

"Sylvie…oooooooon!" Sylveon cried out, whipping the feelers out to wrap around Rayquaza. She dug her feet into the ground, sweating as she tried to hold back the rather persistent legendary Pokémon. Serena glared at the sight of it. Why was it staying so low to the ground? Was it scared of the portal? And why did it keep going after the singular undefended Gate? Was it because of its own loose connection with wind? Did it feel that was the only safe way out? It made sense, but it was a pain to deal with.

"Chespin!" came the sudden cry of the Spiny Nut Pokémon and Serena watched as his vines whipped forward, securing themselves around Rayquaza as well. "Pin pin pin!"

"Just keep holding on, Chespin!" came Clemont's voice from another side of the marketplace. Serena looked over, noticing him affixing the last of his cables. Chespin, as it turned out, was gripping tightly to the fountain (which was still brimming with energy, if less than before), but holding Rayquaza in place. Not that it was stopping the Hyper Beam. "Hurry, Bonnie!"

"Lucario, use Power-Up Punch!" Korrina cried out now, the blonde skating quickly into the area as Mega Lucario leapt on top of the Gate of Wind before slamming down on the dragon's head. Rayquaza gave another great cry and ceased its Hyper Beam.

"All done, now!" Bonnie said. She gave all of them a thumbs up, gripped tightly to Dedenne and Squishy and ran back around to join up with all of them.

"Vanilluxe, freeze its tail into the ground. That way it can't move," Bethany said. Vanilluxe swiveled and then fired right at Rayquaza's tail. Sylveon and Chespin retracted their feelers and vines respectively as the ice traveled up Rayquaza's body.

The Sky High Pokémon had other ideas. It slithered around and shot a quick, but powerful, Dragon Pulse from its mouth. The attack collided with Vanilluxe while she was still in the midst of her attack and exploded, leaving the Snowstorm Pokémon in a heap on the ground. Bethany screamed out words of worry and ran for her Pokémon. Not that she let it beat her.

"Cacturne, Flash!" Cacturne's limbs sprang outward and light flashed with it. Rayquaza howled from the bright light, but the others decided to make that the moment to strike.

"Everyone, create a distraction with any long-range attacks you have," Serena ordered. "Physical attackers, get in close under that cover!"

"You heard her, guys!" Rocky yelled. Every Pokémon then moved forward in concert with one another.

Braixen sent out a Fire Blast while Sylveon whipped her feelers out for a dense Swift. Pancham joined in with them, firing a Dark Pulse. Noivern kept his own distance with a Boomburst from his ears. Astrid even ordered for Absol to let off continual Psycho Cuts that it flung with every swipe of its horn. As they all provided the cover, every other Pokémon was getting closer. Cacturne rushed in with a glowing arm and slammed into the tail of Rayquaza. Talonflame circled overhead and surrounded himself in flames before streaking downward like a bomb to collide with a different area. Hawlucha, too, was rushing in and pummeling the dragon with a Karate Chop, while Crawdaunt used a Crabhammer next to him and Skarmory slammed into it with a Steel Wing. Lucario finished off the ensemble with a Bone Rush underneath Rayquaza's jaw that slammed it upward.

"Grab it, Rhyperior! Toss it into the air!" Rocky ordered. Rhyperior charged forward, and with its immense strength, grabbed onto Rayquaza. It looked like it was struggling, but after a moment, it finally heaved Rayquaza up and with a spin, sent it flying sky high, right at the portal.

"Direct your attacks upward. Push it in!" Serena yelled. She just hoped Clemont was about ready to close that thing. All of the long-range attacks changed their trajectory, now aiming for the hurtling Rayquaza. They impacted with an explosion that sent golden and green sparks through the area. Serena clutched at her vest, hoping they had succeeded. The dust cleared…and Serena's eyes widened.

Rayquaza was far from finished. It had managed to right itself and circumvented the portal, glowing with a bright emerald as it sailed through the air. Then it angled itself back down like a hurtling meteor. Serena couldn't give a verbal command in time, but each Pokémon was expectant, throwing their protection up as Rayquaza slammed furiously into all of them.

The explosion of energy that followed billowed outwards and Serena could no longer keep her feet on the ground, flying back towards the Tera Tera Meowth. The others all seemed to be scattered around the area as well, their Pokémon sprawled on the ground as Rayquaza took to the air, though only hovered a little bit above ground level. Coughing from the dust, Serena crawled onto her hands and knees, looking around for her Pokémon. The first thing she saw was that Elaine had been blown back by the attack, past the Gates and into the forest. Then, she caught sight of Chi and Theta, him holding on to her.

"Help us…" Serena hacked out, looking at the both of them with fire in her eyes. "Please…Help us fight back."

"Fight back?" Theta asked despondently, her tone dead. "What is there to fight for? To live for? Our goals failed, and Rayquaza will kill us all."

"That's no reason to give up!" screamed Bethany. Serena finished dragging herself to her feet to look at the turquoise-haired girl, back on her own feet and approaching Theta furiously. "You've become pathetic, Theta! You say that you don't want to involve children, but now you're standing by while those same children you swear to protect are fighting your battles for you! Cleaning up your mess!"

"Beth…" Theta sighed out. Bethany quickly reached them and grabbed Theta by the collar of her jumpsuit.

"Don't you dare give up!" she choked out, and Serena could see the tears in her eyes. Theta briefly pushed her away, and Bethany almost collapsed, but stood her ground. "I understand the pain of losing something precious, but that's no reason to lose yourself! You're not the Theta I remember! You're not the same zealous, all-loving individual I looked up to and admired! You're just a shadow, so stuck in changing the past you can't put one step forward into the future. But you  _need_  to! Just like we needed to! Take the longer road. Walk it together with us."

"You…can't possibly understand," Chi said solemnly, placing his hands on Bethany's and looking at her with downcast eyes. "We're broken."

"Then put yourselves together again." Serena turned her head to see who had told them that, and she caught sight of Tau striding casually through the marketplace and up to them. "The girls are right. We caused this mess. It's time for us to help clean it up."

"Tau, you can't-" Theta gasped out. Tau managed to cut her off with a rather sad smile. He continued to walk forward, clasping Serena's shoulder.

"Tell me, Theta. If we wanted to change the future for the children to live in a better world, what kind of fools would we be if not to help them live on, or to listen to them when their wisdom exceeds our own?" he asked simply. "I have not let go of my ambitions to change this world, but sometimes your road disappears. When that happens you find another road, even if it's longer. Even if you may not see it until the next generation, or the one after."

"Please?" Serena said confidently. "We're not asking you to be friends with us. I know that may not be possible…but I am asking you to help everyone here live."

Silence followed, no one saying a word until Theta gave a long sigh. "Shamed by children…what have we made this world into? Do you think we can really heal that void, darling?"

"Perhaps. Together, of course," Chi responded, clasping his wife's hands in his own. "No matter how long, I think we may be able to." To that, Theta scoffed and Serena looked up at Tau, who nodded at her.

"Well, lead the way, blondie."

"Serena! Team Rocket! We're all set to go!" came Clemont's huff as he ran back over, gasping with every pump of his legs. He almost fell into her arms, but Serena held him up carefully with a smile.

"Great job, Clemont! All that's left-"

"No holding back!" Bonnie yelled, skidding over to their side. Serena's smile widened further as she saw the others all grouping with her, all of their Pokémon out. Even Tau's Skuntank was at his side, along with Doublade and Mothim, who were recovering. "Team Ketchum! Team Brutal! Team Neo! To victory!"

"Dene!" Dedenne cheered alongside his caretaker. Even Squishy bounced up and down with happy eyes. Serena nodded, tightening her ribbon a little as she walked past the entire group, to the very head of it, her eyes on Rayquaza as it finally recovered from slamming into the ground. She even saw a bright blue light on the top of the airship. Ash was going strong; so would they.

"Everyone, enemies or not, we need to stop Rayquaza," she called out to them. "Get it into the portal! And…" Serena turned to look at each of them, throwing her fist into the air the way that Ash would. "Never give up until the very end!"

"You said it, twerpette!"

"Fire up da Tera Tera Meowth!"

"Hey-ho, here we go!" James called out, and Serena heard a loud clanging noise, combined with some rumbling. The Gates suddenly started pulsing with their glow and the cables attached to them began to glow as well. Clemont's plan was working as a large meter on the Tera Tera Meowth began to shine and fill up. She looked over to Clemont who gave a sudden high five to Korrina and smiled at her.

Time to fight.

"Sylveon, use Swift!"

"You, too, Luxray!" Both Luxray and Sylveon immediately began running ahead of the entire group, firing off their large grouping of stars. "Keep going!"

Sylveon looked back at her trainer and Serena nodded. She had an idea of what Clemont was trying to do. The Intertwining Pokémon continued to whip her feelers back and forth, adding more and more stars to the mix until they completely obscured the group from view, even if a number of them managed to strike Rayquaza and gain its attention.

"Doublade, use Shadow Sneak to get under it," Chi called sternly. Serena watched as the shadow suddenly flit through the ground, between the two Pokémon until it reached Rayquaza and then shot upward, slamming into its body and sending it higher, though not by much. It was still a strange, but welcome, sight.

"It's too low," Astrid commented. "Absol, climb up its tail, hit it with a Shadow Claw." Absol growled a little, and obeyed its trainer's command, dashing forward to the far end of Rayquaza before leaping onto its tail, gaining altitude with its wings. The Sky High Pokémon must have felt its presence because it began to wriggle all over the place in an attempt to get Absol off. The Disaster Pokémon wouldn't be deterred, its claws brimming with giant shadows that it dug into Rayquaza's midsection, making both ends fly upwards.

"Tyrantrum, Head Smash." Tyrantrum's great roar suddenly pierced the air and it began to charge at Rayquaza, still close enough to the ground for the large Pokémon to make its attack hit. Tyrantrum's entire body brimmed with blue energy and with a loud growl, it smashed right onto Rayquaza's head, driving the Pokémon back for the first time. Then, Rayquaza's tail whipped outward, slamming into Tyrantrum while flinging Absol off.

"Lucario, distract it with Metal Sound!" Korrina called. Serena didn't watch to see it happen, but she threw her arm forward.

"Let's go!" Hawlucha was the first to make a move, dashing across the broken stones to leap high up and bring a High Jump Kick right into Rayquaza's jaw with a cracking sound. That was immediately followed up by Noivern and Talonflame taking to the skies and approaching the great dragon from separate angles, one with a Brave Bird and the other with a glowing Dragon Claw. Both of the attacks carried Rayquaza a little more upwards. "Fairy Wind! Flamethrower!"

As Sylveon whipped out the pink-tinted wind and Braixen sent her flames gushing out, Skuntank was on the move, firing off a Shadow Ball. At the same time, Cacturne had leapt on top of Tyrantrum to gain the altitude needed to slam into Rayquaza with a glowing uppercut of Needle Arm. Chespin and Bunnelby were pulling their weight as well, firing off a streaking, green Pin Missile and the earthy Mud Shot. It was taking time, but bit by bit they were pushing Rayquaza upwards. Serena took a moment to see how the meter and the Gates were doing in regards to Mega Evolution energy.

"Serena, look out!" The split-second turned out to be too dangerous, because she whipped around to see that Rayquaza was firing a very quick Hyper Beam from its mouth, aiming for their entire group.

"Protect the group!" commanded Chi's voice. Doublade whirled back through the air and set itself up with its crossed blades in front of the group, a great green shield put in place. The Hyper Beam struck, and even through the shield, Serena could feel the outpouring of energy filling the air. Unable to do anything but wait for the onslaught to end, she watched the clash of shield and beam…at least until the shield cracked. Despite the typing (and thus, immunity) of the move, it seemed to matter little and Doublade was thrown back. Mothim was there to pick up the slack.

"Air Slash." Theta's command was cool, and Mothim acted without hesitation, zipping through the air as if it had already activated Quiver Dance. It spun once and then fired off a large orb of compressed air at Rayquaza, nailing it on the head. Serena flinched. That only appeared to anger it, judging by its body glowing white and charging right for Mothim.

"Oh no ya don't, greeny!" Meowth's voice echoed across the area.

"Tera Tera Meowth, use enhanced Comet Punch!" James ordered with bravado. Serena's eyebrows flew into her hair as she watched the mechanized construct roll forward and its arm punched out, striking Rayquaza as it made contact. The fist broke, but at least Rayquaza went flying backwards.

"No! No! Stop it! You'll break it!" Clemont cried out, almost looking on the verge of tears.

"Settle down, science twerp! We know what we're doing," Jessie scolded him, making Serena want to slap herself.

"Meowth, how much electric energy have we collected?" James asked for the whole marketplace to hear.

"Enough to make a mechanized Thunder Punch, Jimmy," Meowth said. Rayquaza once more swirled around and aimed angrily at Team Rocket and the Tera Tera Meowth.

"Well, make it punch now!" Jessie screeched. Yep, Serena was ready to slap herself. Especially when an argument actually followed.

"Dese tings take time, Jess! You can't rush dem like you do when you pig out!"

"Say that again, furball!"

"Jessie, don't touch that button!"

"Don't tell me what to do, James!"

"I'll tell you exactly what to do when the world and our lives are at stake!"

"Hmph, fine, I'll stop, but you started it."

"Oy vey, someone's delusional." Now, Serena couldn't help it and she slapped her forehead in embarrassment while Clemont cried and Rayquaza continued its very angry approach on Team Rocket.

"Please don't ruin it! Please don't ruin! Please don't! Please don't!" Clemont was crying as one of the Tera Tera Meowth's fists started sparking up, ready for Rayquaza to head at it.

"Drilbur, use Rapid Spin, please." Serena recognized Elaine's voice and peered past the mech to see Elaine running out of the woods, her Drilbur preceding her like a spinning top that didn't stop until it slammed right into Rayquaza and sent it flying upward with surprising strength. The second the mother caught sight of Serena, she smiled. "I can't just let all of you protect this town on your own."

"Um…why's it doing that ascending green attack again?" Korrina asked, pointing to the sky. All eyes turned to the sky and Serena's widened, watching as Rayquaza jetted upward like a blazing green rocket.

"Crap," came Christopher's response. Serena rolled her eyes at that one.

"That thing hits us again, and I'm not sure we'll be able to stand back up," Astrid pointed out. She couldn't help but agree with that one, but she was unsure how to stop it from using that kind of destructive power again. Rayquaza stopped its ascent now, turning around and starting to shoot downward towards them.

"Guide it…" Clemont breathed out. "We can guide it; just like we did Dragonair in the Ancien Debacle!"

"Great idea, big brother!" Bonnie cheered out.

"Genius!" Korrina agreed. Serena had to give a little giggle, even under the circumstances, at the blush that spread over Clemont's face. Serena nodded.

"Any attack that can reach up there, slow it down!" she yelled, receiving acknowledgement from Talonflame and Noivern in particular.

"Bunnelby, dig a hole as large as possible!" Clemont ordered his partner. Bunnelby nodded and bounded forward, a distance away from the group before digging into the ground at a rapid speed. He was soon joined by Drilbur digging into the surface with him. Serena looked to see Absol and Pancham firing off Dark Pulses in every which direction. In fact, Pancham looked to be riding on Absol's back, firing in complete synchronicity with one another. Every strike they made on every side made Rayquaza move just a little closer to the hole. The only thing it wasn't doing was slowing down.

"Make a Stone Edge obstacle," Rocky told Rhyperior. The Drill Pokémon roared and tossed its hands forward. Jagged rocks flew forward, circling on top of the hole and in Rayquaza's path. First one stone hit it on its way down, and then another until the stones seemed to be acting like some sort of natural barrier to its progress. Noivern also zipped downward, hovering near the ground before firing a Boomburst that slowed Rayquaza down even further. The green glow began to flicker.

"Move, now!" Astrid ordered. Absol leapt back while Bunnelby and Drilbur dug under the ground to escape. They got clear just as Rayquaza slammed into the ground. More accurately, its head was funneled into the hole, trapping it there. They had avoided that powerful attack, but now… "How do we get it back up into the air again?"

A rumble shuddered through the ground, like a Pokémon had used an Earthquake move. Serena's first thought was to look at Tyrantrum, but it looked just as confused as anyone else. Well, anyone else but Tau, who responded with, "I get the sick feeling that won't be a problem."

"Huh?" Rocky voiced and he looked to the ground…which was glowing. In fact, the center of the glowing light looked to be the hole where Rayquaza was. "Oh, come on. Give us a break!"

"Cluster together, everyone, right now!" yelled Diantha's voice. It sounded so close, even though the Champion herself must have gotten far away from the site of the battle. This phenomenon made itself clear when Gardevoir appeared to teleport with Diantha in front of the group. That was all they needed in order to group together near the Tera Tera Meowth. The gauge was looking almost full, and the glow of the Gates was waning. "Reflect!"

"Everyone else, use Protect!" Serena called out. Blue shields surrounded the entire team like a sphere, encapsulating them as the ground seemed to shake and glow before bursting outward. Rayquaza's Hyper Beam made an even larger hole than the one Bunnelby and Drilbur had made, with the added side effect of flinging it into the air, though the expulsion of energy underground tested the endurance of all their shields. Serena grabbed onto Astrid and Tau while all around them, every trainer and Pokémon grabbed onto someone else for balance until the rumbling stopped.

"I believe it's time we finish this, no?" Diantha asked, clasping her keystone tightly. "Gardevoir, Mega Evolve!"

Having seen it twice before, Serena looked away, focusing on Rayquaza and the portal. It was strange. The portal had halted in place, almost near the edges of the Gates, but seconds later it began to contract a little before expanding and then contracting again erratically. That could only mean two things to Serena: their plan was working, and Ash had defeated Dalton. It was now or never to finish this, before the portal could close from the energy being sucked dry. All they needed now was a plan. A really good one.

"Debilitate it," came Tau's simple suggestion. "We can't keep attacking it head on and expect a different result. We simply don't have the power."

"The man is right. Only Gardevoir's Moonblast would have the power to do that, but in her state, I just need a little time to charge up. You need to provide a suitable target for me to hit," Diantha concurred.

"Yeah, but…we've thrown everything we have at it and we still…" Her words trailed off at the sound of Tau's chuckle, causing Serena to look at him in confusion.

"I'm loathe to suggest it, but…" he noted before turning towards Bonnie. "Does your Dedenne know Nuzzle, little girl?"

"Nene?"

"He sure does!" Bonnie chirped. "Wait, why?"

"Nuzzle instantly paralyzes the target, even a legendary," Tau said. Serena could have face-palmed at the realization that Tau provided. Of course! If they paralyzed Rayquaza, then they could easily get it close to the portal, allowing Diantha to make that one final push. Serena turned to Talonflame.

"Talonflame, I need you to carry Dedenne up to Rayquaza. As soon as it's distracted enough, let it have it, Dedenne!"

"Dede!" Dedenne said with vigor. Serena nodded, turning to face their target for the very final push. Mothim suddenly zipped past under the effects of Quiver Dance, flying right for Rayquaza as it recovered from its own attack. Red waves radiated out from Mothim as it got close, causing Rayquaza to howl loudly. Talonflame hopped over to Bonnie, who gingerly placed Dedenne in his claws before he took off to the sky. Tau placed a hand on Serena's shoulder.

"If you'll permit me, might we try a combination attack?" he asked sternly. Serena looked him in the eyes, seeing the earnestness and desire to win for the good of the group. So, she nodded. "Skuntank, send a billowing Smokescreen up to Rayquaza."

"Tank!" Skuntank squeaked out and smoke billowed out in a cloud, thick and swirling. Serena watched it ascend, covering her nose as a precaution. She was far too used to being on the other end of that attack. She still understood what he was aiming for, and she waited until the smoke reached a high enough level to surround all of Rayquaza's body.

"Braixen, Fire Blast." The command was simple and hard-sounding, conveying all of Serena's will to see this done. Braixen twirled her wand and then flung it forward, the fire spitting from both ends in a flaming star that ascended until finally touching the edges of the Smokescreen and continuing inward. There was a faint rumble in the air, and then everything exploded in the space above. The Smokescreen was engulfed in flames and the explosions rocketed Rayquaza upward, sending its body into an undulating spin.

Talonflame swooped in and dropped Dedenne over Rayquaza's head. As he fell, the Antenna Pokémon began to rub his cheeks until he slammed against Rayquaza. The effect was instantaneous and the static transferred through all of Rayquaza's body like an endless current. Its lithe and writhing body almost seemed to halt in midair and its roar died in its throat, almost like it was gasping for air. Serena would have pitied it…had it not been trying to destroy all of them.

"Noivern, Talonflame, carry it to the portal!" Serena ordered. Noivern flapped his wings up with a mini-gale as he ascended rapidly. Talonflame was already on the move, Dedenne crawling back on his head, before he made to grab Rayquaza's tail. Meanwhile, Noivern secured its head and Skarmory grabbed its midsection on Christopher's orders. With a powerful beat of all their wings, they began to stressfully carry it as close to the erratic portal as they could. Serena turned to see that the meter on the Tera Tera Meowth was almost full and the glow on the Gates had all but vanished. Whipping back, she saw that the portal was already well on its way to closing, the energy being supplied to it dwindling. "Come on, you can do it!"

"Go! Go! Noivern and Talonflame and Skarmory!"

"Team Rocket?"

"We're almost reaching full capacity!"

"Dis is gonna be close!"

"Yeah! Let's defend Nova Town!" Rocky roared, gaining another cry from his friends. Neither Astrid nor the Alpha Squad members said anything; they only watched as Diantha took a single step forward, and a light surrounding Gardevoir reached a zenith.

"MOONBLAST!" Diantha's command echoed around the entire marketplace and all eyes were drawn to Gardevoir. A large orb of pink energy formed in Gardevoir's hands and then she fired it forward, almost like a beam that shot out with incredible speed and strength. Noivern, Skarmory and Talonflame quickly let go just as the Moonblast struck.

_Rooooa-_

The great roar of Rayquaza was cut short as its body flung forward with the powerful Moonblast, right towards the shrinking portal. Serena clasped her hands and her heart clenched as its midsection sunk into the inky blackness of the rift. Then it was followed by its tail and then, with a final piercing cry, its head. Rayquaza was swallowed up by the contracting rift, defeated at last.

But Serena knew she couldn't breathe easy just yet. Not while the portal was still open.

"Clemont," she called out. The lemon-blond inventor adjusted his glasses and ran forward towards the Tera Tera Meowth.

"Team Rocket, how is it doing?" he shouted upwards. "Have we almost absorbed it?"

"No clue," James hollered back, "but we're almost at full capacity here!" Hearing their voice echoing over the area, Serena frowned until she noticed that Elaine was moving off towards one of the Gates and pressing her hand to it. Her eyes seemed to widen and she pulled out something from her pocket, pressing it to the gate and tapping at it.

"They're normal rocks now…" she breathed out, but it was surprisingly loud enough to hear. "Drilbur, could you?"

"Dril." Drilbur stepped forward and aimed a sharp claw at the surface of the Gate. Seconds later, a piece chipped off. In fact, now that Serena thought about, she could see that there was no more energy flowing through the fountain and towards the sky. Other than the portal that was slowly shrinking, there was nothing left in terms of brimming energy.

The Gates were just hunks of rock, having lost what made them similar to the Ancien meteorites in the first place. That thought relieved Serena. The howling alarms from the Tera Tera Meowth did not.

"What's going on?" Clemont yelled worriedly. "Are we already at too much energy capacity? I could have sworn I made it work the right way!"

"It's no one's fault," Chi commented with a fold of his arms. "There's simply too much energy here for anyone to control. No matter how well designed the system…"

"Then I guess it's time to go to Plan B!" Jessie called out. Serena couldn't help but step forward at those words, a look of actual worry on her face.

"Plan B? What do you mean?" she asked them loudly.

"Did you really think we wouldn't have a backup plan?" James shouted out. "You may blast us off numerous times, but we always go in with a Plan B."

"Only dis time, we know what we're doin'!" Meowth called gleefully. "We're at full absorption, Jimmy. Divertin' all power to movement to contain for da time bein'."

"Then, cables detach!" James remarked. A loud popping noise filled the area and Serena noticed that the cables were flying in all different directions around the area. The glow of the Gates and fountain had ceased entirely. Serena threw a quick look upward, noticing the portal become little more than a disc the size of a Frisbee. Meanwhile, Team Rocket looked to be turning their mech around, wheeling slowly towards the forest as it began to glow.

"Wait!" Serena cried, running forward to stand next to Clemont, whose mouth was agape. "Jessie! James! Meowth!"

"Don't worry your pretty little head off, twerpette," Jessie said flippantly, her voice already sounding far away. "It was obvious to us how this would end the second the science twerp suggested it. It's one of  _his_  machines, after all. Besides, we're after conquest, not destruction; so we're just doing the natural thing for Team Rocket's glory."

"Well, we knew. Jess is just figurin' it out now," Meowth cackled off. Their voices were getting farther and farther away. She wanted to run after them and stop them, even if they  _were_  her enemies. But she didn't.

"Shut it, Meowth!" Jessie cried and a loud slamming sound was heard. "Just you wait, twerps! We'll be back to hunting Pikachu within the week!"

"Count on it!" James gave as one final cry. "Team Rocket will live to fight another-"

_BOOOOOOM!_

The sudden explosion cut off anything that James was trying to say and Serena found herself clasping onto Clemont's arm while Bonnie gripped her vest, the three of them staring at the point in the distance where their longest nemeses had gone up in smoke. Though she could swear to seeing a twinkle in the lightening sky. Like a shower of green particles, the Mega Evolution energy exploded forth, dropping in a shower upon the forest alone as smoke poured forth from the remains of the Tera Tera Meowth. Serena swallowed, continuing to look up into the sky, hoping to confirm that twinkle, but it was too consumed by smoke.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again…" she commented. Clemont looked down, gripping at his jumpsuit before he turned away. Serena, too, let go of Clemont's arm to look at the spot in the sky where the portal was finally vanishing. With a final  _fwoosh_ , the pinprick that was the rift closed up completely, leaving nothing behind but the Mark Omega, drifting down towards the lake, and the stars in the sky.

"An utter failure…" Theta commented with a scoff. "Even Dalton…"

"Maybe that's for the best," Chi told his wife. Serena looked to the married couple, clasping each other close, watching as Tau walked up to them.

"It is…this time…we'll take a longer road, but do it together," he said. None of them said any more. "Though…I'd presume that that road begins in a jail cell?"

"One good deed does not erase crimes," Diantha commented sternly. Tau appeared to nod. Serena finally let go of a breath that she didn't realize she had been holding. Maybe it was odd for criminals to offer themselves up to the law so easily, but Alpha Squad had never been overtly malicious.

"As I figured," he responded before looking up to the stars. "Then that is where our road begins…our repentance." He smiled a little at that, and Serena couldn't help but feel an extra rush of relief at his words.

To the side, Bethany collapsed to the ground on her knees and Rocky fell back against Rhyperior. Flashes of light signaled the end of a Absol, Lucario and Gardevoir's Mega Evolutions. Then Christopher spoke.

"We won."

"We did, didn't we?" Bethany almost laughed out. There looked to be tears in her eyes, though whether they were from relief or joy was unclear. Serena couldn't help but laugh out with her. The marketplace may have been trashed, and numerous Beta Squad members seemed to have been battered by Rayquaza's relentless attacks (as well as their own), but it was over at last. They had won.

"Yay! We won!" Bonnie cried, the realization setting in as she suddenly flung her arms around Serena in a hug. The honey-blonde flew back from the weight and her own exhaustion, landing on the ground with a laugh on her own lips. Then Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon flung themselves on top of her as well, followed by Ash's Pokémon.

"Okay! Okay!" Serena giggled out, grateful at all the affection and pure joy at succeeding. Peering through a gap in the mess on top of her, Serena saw Diantha with a small smile recall Gardevoir, while Astrid patted Absol on its head.

"Thank you, Absol," she said gratefully. Serena finally sat up and the blonde smiled at her tiredly. Then a hand grabbed hers and Serena felt herself being lifted up by Elaine. Just a moment passed before Elaine gripped her in an embracing hug, much to her surprise.

"Thank you…I think Madeline can rest easy now," she whispered. Serena only nodded, and Elaine drew back to give way to the sight of everyone but Alpha Squad and Diantha cheering in the area. Korrina was especially exuberant, jumping up and down with abandon.

"We did it! We did it! Yeah!" she was screaming wildly. That caused Serena to give off another laugh before her mouth just fell open entirely. Korrina, in all of her boundless energy, grabbed Clemont by the shoulders and kissed him on the cheek for a good three seconds. It wasn't much, but Clemont's face now resembled a Tamato Berry as he swayed back and forth. Even Korrina looked embarrassed, drawing back with an uncharacteristic blush.

"S-Sorry," she said sheepishly. "But we won, and you were awesome with your invention and I just…it seemed like…"

"I-It's f-f-f-fine…" Clemont stuttered out. At his feet, Bunnelby seemed to be smiling as Chespin looked between the two trainers with a confused expression. Luxray appeared to not care, other than to push Clemont back up when he almost fell over. "I, uh…I d-d-didn'tmindit."

"Huh? Really?" Korrina asked with a nervous laugh. Serena blinked at the scene; no matter how much she may have suspected something, she certainly hadn't seen that coming. "So, you, uh…"

"No…way…" Bonnie finally voiced, her eyes wider than a pancake as she stared at the sight of Korrina and her brother. For a moment, Serena was worried that she'd do something drastic, like the last time Clemont seemed remotely interested in a girl. Bonnie's stare continued to be blank, almost like she was putting pieces together.

"Bonnie, i-it's not what it looks like!"

"Korrina's a keeper!" the little girl suddenly yelled jubilantly. Within a millisecond, Bonnie was twirling down and getting onto one knee before the energetic blonde. "Please look after my brother for me!"

"What's this about?" Korrina asked, sweating a little from nervousness. Clemont just turned to Bonnie with his flush still present.

"Bonnie, I've told you a million times! I don't need you to ask girls out for me," he scolded her. "I wanted to ask that on my own."

"You did? Ask her! Ask Korrina out right now! You'd make me happy! Don't you want to see your sister happy?" Bonnie said, springing out of her kneeling posture to jump up and down. Clemont just spluttered incoherently while Korrina started laughing loudly. Serena had to join in the laugher herself.

That laughter was cut across by a sudden, loud groaning noise. All jubilation ceased and Serena turned her head to see the airship on a slow collision course for the lake. But there was something else that  _really_  caught her eye: people were falling from the airship.

One of them was Ash.

"No!" Serena cried, and before she could stop, her feet were pounding against the broken stones of the marketplace in her plummeting boyfriend's direction. Hawlucha and the other Pokémon were right at her side.

"Luchacha!" Hawlucha cried out worriedly. A splash sounded as Ash and whoever had fallen with him impacted with the lake. Serena's heart hammered against her ribcage as she approached the banks of the lake, and nothing resurfaced. Not Ash or anyone. The airship continued its plunge towards the water's surface. Close to hyperventilating, Serena had to slap her cheeks to pull herself together.

"Don't worry, Hawlucha. This time, I'll protect him," she said softly, but with an underlying determination. Footsteps behind her told her that the others were joining her, but she wasn't waiting. Serena tossed her hat to the side and slipped off her vest before kicking her boots and tights off. Without further thought, she dove into the lake and its dark depths.

Her body dipped below the surface, making a swift breaststroke to get even further down. A very small amount of light was filtering into the lake, illuminating a small part of it, but otherwise obscuring them all in darkness. It didn't stop Serena from cutting through the water while holding her breath. Blinking in the drink, Serena noticed the other forms and as she drew close she could see Seamus and Travis, bound together. The latter appeared to be struggling a little, but with his movements so weak, she could tell his body was on the verge of giving out. Even further below them was Greninja, dragging the form of a man that looked to have almost run out of air free from a wreckage that lay in the water. There were cuts all over the man's body, but he appeared to be aware.

Serena fought against the water resistance around her to try and find Ash's body. More light was in the area now, and she finally caught a sight of Pikachu's yellow fur, and his trainer holding on to him. With a kick of her feet, Serena sped forward through the water. It was starting to get hotter now, and she could tell that the airship was getting every closer. All of that paled in comparison to saving Ash. After a few seconds of swimming, she reached him and grabbed onto his arm. He was limp in her hold, but Serena chose to not pay attention to that in the moment.

Fiercely beating her legs back, she began to ascend to the surface. Over Greninja's way, there seemed to be a whole group of four that looked to be undergoing some sort of scuffle. Knowing Greninja could handle it, Serena kicked onward as her lungs began to burn. She couldn't hold out much more, causing her body to slow down as a bright orange glow signified the near-entrance of the Mark Omega into the lake.

 _Come on, Serena…you can do this! You can save him!_  she screamed internally as her arm strained and her throat almost coughed. She stopped herself so that she didn't take in any water, but Ash was proving heavier than she thought under the water pressure, and though the surface of the water seemed to come close, it was also way too far. Her eyes fluttered, and she couldn't help the cough, some water filling her mouth.  _No! Not now!_

Second by second, kick by kick, her eyes started to close, losing against the struggle of the water. The hand not holding onto Ash reached forward desperately, wanting to break the surface. Everything was fading a little, and Ash and Pikachu felt like a block of lead attached to her arm. Her breath was almost completely giving out. There was something white hovering on the edge of her vision and she reached for it, hoping to grab whatever it was, even if it was just an illusion. With a final lunge she did. Then it dragged her forward and above the water's surface, gasping loudly for air.

"Cl-Clemont?" Serena choked out, looking at the sight of his Aipom Arm that she was holding onto.

"We're a team, right? We help each other," Clemont said and he began to pull the Aipom Arm back in. Hawlucha, Bonnie and the others were helping in reeling it in as well until Serena, Ash and Pikachu were on the embankment of the lake. Greninja seemed to be out seconds later, dragging Seamus and Travis with him, though the both of them were now separated. Braixen instantly ran over to Greninja, along with Talonflame.

Serena rolled over onto her back next to her boyfriend, catching her breath for just a moment. Bonnie was nearby with Clemont, the two of them looking over Pikachu after disengaging him from Ash's arms. Serena's eyes just stared upwards, looking as the Mark Omega fell with its final burst of speed into the lake. The impact shook the ground and water exploded outwards, spraying over each and every one of them. Not that it mattered to Serena; she was sopping wet to begin with.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu's voice coughed out, and Serena finally sat straight back up to look at her boyfriend. His most trusted partner was at his side (Dedenne having shared electricity with him), shaking him desperately, and Serena quickly crawled over, ignoring the effect of the airship impacting with the water to lean down and listen. Ash wasn't breathing. "Pikapi!"

"Ash, wake up!" Serena called out. He didn't respond at all and Serena noticed a great gash on his side. Was that why he wasn't waking up? Was he…?

"No…" Bonnie whispered out, clutching to her brother. Clemont looked unsure of what to do or say, and even Serena felt herself getting lost in the quagmire of possibilities. She looked up desperately for some sign that Ash was okay, tears pooling, when she saw everyone else slowly approaching. Diantha was leading the Alpha Squad, all of them wearing resigned expressions, while Rocky and Astrid supported each other, and Bethany and Christopher did the same. Korrina was in front of all of them. It reminded her; reminded her of how much they had all fought together. Pikachu suddenly sent out a bolt of electricity, though it appeared slightly weak, and certainly wasn't enough to wake Ash up. As light began to crest over the horizon, Serena breathed in deeply.

"No giving up. That goes for you too, Ash!" she told her boyfriend. Then she placed her hands on his chest and began to pump furiously with chest compressions. She wasn't the most skilled, but if even the most rudimentary training her mother had made her take would help, she was more than willing to try it. After a moment, she stopped and leaned down, still hearing no breaths. Swallowing, Serena tilted his head and placed her mouth to his, breathing into him while pinching his nose. Then she drew back. "Please!"

Her cry sounded more desperate with every syllable, and Serena's heart was gripped with worry for a moment until, finally, Ash began coughing loudly, water expelling from his mouth. He rolled over and continued to cough onto the sand near the lake. Serena fell back with relief and she could see Bonnie and Clemont smile. When Ash finally stopped, he turned his head.

"S-Serena…you're okay?" he asked. That earned a strangled laugh from her.

"I should be saying that to you, Ash," she said, wiping away the tears that came to her eyes. Ash looked at her quizzically, but it didn't last long when all of his Pokémon, including the usually stoic Greninja, tackled him fiercely. Glad that he was okay, Serena got to her feet, only to almost fall against Korrina. Thanking the blonde, Serena took her own heaving breaths in and saw the pair that was Seamus and Travis. Seamus was sitting up, having finished his own coughs while Travis was on his back, chest rising and falling rhythmically, but otherwise unmoving. Somehow, the both of them were okay. Ash's Pokémon finally got off of him, and he turned to Seamus.

"Dalton? What happened to him?" he groaned out, his throat straining for speech. Seamus looked to be breathing heavily, but he looked over to Ash. Serena continued to stand, watching as his body seemed almost wracked with sobs, though it was hard to tell with the water on him.

"He's…he's down below…" Seamus answered. "Greninja was carrying him up, but he…kicked loose, somehow, and pushed the both of us towards the surface. Greninja couldn't handle all three of us and he…He made a choice to…to die…"

"Seamus," Ash said, looking like he wanted to comfort the other boy. Seamus just shook his head.

"It should have been me. I was supposed to die," he said. "We were supposed to die togeth-"

Serena's hand struck swiftly, slapping across Seamus' cheek. The surprised cries that echoed behind her indicated that she had done her job, especially when Seamus looked at her with blinking eyes. " _Never_  say that! You need to  _live_! Dalton…I might not have known him personally, but he made a choice, and that choice was to save you, so you could live!"

"Serena's right…" Ash concurred. "Dalton wanted to change the world…maybe he chose to do that by saving you; entrusting the future to you. You can't just give up your life after all that."

"He saved…me?" Seamus asked, like the concept confused him. So, Serena bent down and took him into a hug.

"Your life was worth saving," she said, and though she was already soaked to the bone, she could feel Seamus' teardrops fall onto her dress. "That's all that mattered. So, live! Live for all of them who counted your life as worth something. And live for you!"

"Th…thank you!" Seamus suddenly wailed out. It was such a foreign sound to hear from the boy's mouth, but in that moment, Serena felt it was all that mattered. He needed to cry. He needed to let it all out. No matter what he had lost, he was worth something. He was worth saving, living on, and changing. It didn't matter how long the road was, every tear was a symbol of his resolve. It took a long time for him to stop, the grief and relief settling into his bones, but Serena could see them signaling the end of his journey, washing away his old self. When his tears and wails, mixed in with a loud howl from the forest, at last finished and Seamus finally collapsed from exhaustion, the sun rose over the horizon. Finally, Serena let go, her own tears in her eyes as she looked to Ash who was standing unsteadily on his feet.

"Ash…next time…please don't give me a heart attack," she said, walking forward a few steps to catch him. He just grinned at her. "Let me be the one to protect you."

"Okay…" he chuckled out, rubbing his nose. Serena smiled at this, the trail of tears running down her face. "Hey, why are you crying?"

"No reason," came the answer. Serena just grabbed him and touched his forehead to hers as the sunlight washed over all of them; a new, different day was beginning.

Everything was finally all right again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I always knew Dalton was going to die. This was extremely important to happen. Dalton was always an honorable man who respected both his students and his foes, no matter how ruthless he was, and given his loss to Ash, he would rather see his students, children, live than for him to do so. In other words, he wanted to change the world, and now he is choosing his students to do the job for him, he just doesn't get to see it. I figured it would be a very poetic ending to him as a villain. And yes, he is dead. No second guessing that since I'll double confirm it next chapter, anyway.
> 
> As for the other content of this. Rayquaza, that airborne terror, has finally been defeated, sinking into the rift that was created. Naturally, you all know that Team Rocket survived (considering they're in XYZ 30) but I wanted to create a moment where the others acknowledge their friendship. Now, as for Alpha Squad and their "turn"; it isn't so much that they flipped sides as much as they realized they stood no chance of succeeding and took the best chance of survival. Of course, these kids have a way of hammering a point into these adults' head. Also, them willing to go to prison…well, it's not like they're career criminals; they ran a radio station, after all. Also, Seamus' breakdown, I felt needed to happen: after everything, sometimes you just need to cry to move forward. His story will finally cap in the next chapter. Furthermore, originally, the ending with Ash and Serena was going to be much more romantic. I decided to go with a lighter, more subtle touch and save the romance for the next chapter, which, I'd like to note, is indeed the final chapter!
> 
> With one chapter left to go, I'm so entirely grateful for the reviews and words that have kept me writing and keeping me thinking to bring you all the best story possible. So, until the very last chapter, I'd love to see you Review, and, of course, Dare to Be Silly.


	18. A Resolution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are at the end. The only thing to say up here is to listen to the song "Overcoming the Grief" from the new Fairy Tail soundtrack during a certain part…or any sad instrumental song. Also, sorry for the long chapter...but it had to be. Couldn't split it. That said, Chapter 18! See you at the bottom.

Chapter 18

A Resolution

News about what had happened in Nova Town spread like wildfire.

In less than twenty-four hours, media outlets had ballooned the situation up. A lot of it seemed like conjecture, fueled by the surfacing of just a few pictures on the air that had apparently been sent in. Those pictures seemed to send everyone into a frenzy across the regions, but nowhere near as much as in Kalos itself. Once the story hit the news, it never stopped, except to confirm and remind everyone that the Kalos League's Lumiose Conference would be starting soon.

In a little over forty-eight hours, it had come to be known as "The Nova Incident". Rumors were flying everywhere and some people already began to talk about visiting Nova Town just to see what had happened. Others were more interested by the names within the article such as Diantha, or some coverage on the Snowbelle Gym Leader Wulfric, but what captured Sawyer's attention the most, even seventy-two hours later were the other names and the pictures that seemed to occupy every news station and take the front page of every paper.

When he had first seen the pictures and heard the news, it surprised him, but after picking up the paper, he was almost obsessively following the coverage when he wasn't training for the League. It almost came to the point that he was considering pasting it into his notebook like a scrapbook if that didn't seem a little strange. What he did do, those three days later, was sit down in a café in Lumiose City and read the latest article, which proved to just be an amalgamation of all the coverage that had come before.

THE NOVA INCIDENT

The Real Story

_Following the attack on the League Summit, a criminal syndicate known as Team Neo, led by a man named Dalton, led numerous raids on various towns. These towns included Snowbelle City and Shalour City in an attempt to pilfer keystones from their resident Gym Leaders. Also involved was the eponymous Nova Town (see bio in side column). Details are still scarce thanks to a gag order by the League, but certain details have begun to surface._

_The evening after the League Summit, Team Neo led a full-scale assault on Nova Town. Sources on the ground reported the presence of what they termed "a tear in the sky". Whether this was a result of Team Neo's actions or not remains unconfirmed. However, the same source confirmed the presence of a battle in Nova Town's marketplace between Team Neo's Alpha Squad and a handful of trainers led by Master Class runner-up Serena of Vaniville Town. Also included in the battle were various, unknown members of Team Neo known as part of a group called the Beta Squad. Other confirmed trainers were Champion Diantha, Shalour Gym Leader Korrina, Lumiose Gym Leader Clemont and various local trainers._

_Of most particular note was the trainer who has been dubbed the "Hero of the Ancien Debacle", Ash Ketchum (see pictures below). Our source speculates that Ash Ketchum led the assault against Team Neo's Dalton, clashing with him atop an airship known as the Mark Omega. Details are sketchy regarding the events there, but it is clear that Ketchum defeated Dalton with incredible strength and technique. Though his method of doing so is questionable at best._

_Following the Nova Incident, President Goodshow made a statement that leading members of Team Neo, the Alpha Squad and Delta Squad, had been arrested for their crimes. League officials looked into what happened in the town and seem to have arrested a number of members of the Beta Squad as well. Champion Diantha has also been confirmed to making a press (continued on pg. 3)_

That was where Sawyer stopped, deciding to look at the pictures at the bottom of the page. While he was interested in the town itself, he was far more interested in the pictures of Ash. One of them appeared to be a zoomed in, but rather grainy, picture of this "Mark Omega". Ash was certainly atop it; he'd notice the black hair and Pikachu anywhere. However, he looked different, even with the very poor quality of the picture. He looked determined, fierce…and a little frightening. At the very least, looking at the picture made Sawyer's spine shiver.

Next to that picture were a number of others, from Serena seemingly ordering others around, or one of Champion Diantha. Sawyer just shook his head. After having been involved in the Ancien Debacle, he could see how they would draw so many trainers to them, but knowing that they did, it amazed him every time. The very last picture was, perhaps, the worst one of them all in terms of quality. If he squinted, he felt he could make out the form of Greninja, but he was almost certain that it looked different. It could have been the special complete form that Ash had mentioned, but he was unsure.

"Hey, turn it up! They're reporting on the Nova Incident again!" called one of the café's patrons. Sawyer folded the paper up and turned to the TV where the newscaster appeared.

"New details have surfaced on the Nova Incident," said the news anchor, her red shades blending well with her pink hair. Sawyer folded his hands on his lap and watched the new coverage. "Witnesses have confirmed the presence of the legendary Pokémon Rayquaza in the vicinity of the town. Speculation has it that the trainers involved in the Nova Incident, now being called 'The Nova Nine', engaged in battle with Rayquaza, though the end result of that battle is unknown. In related news, it would appear that Ash Ketchum, who battled in the Incident has recovered from his battle recently. Champion Diantha has denied newscasters access to the young man, and little else is known of his role than what has been reported. He has, however, been confirmed to be competing in this year's Lumiose Conference-"

"Seriously? !" called a female patron, or maybe it was a waitress. Sawyer wasn't entirely sure. "He seems totally awesome!"

"Hey…didn't he fight in the Kalos Team Tournament?" called out another patron.

"Yeah, he was on the winning team. I remember his Greninja wrecking shop!"

"He was the 'Hero of the Ancien Debacle', too," the waitress pointed out, flicking her ponytail around. "That guy's got more moxie than a Krookodile with the ability. I can't wait for the Lumiose Conference now. I've got to buy my tickets and watch him win it all. Then I can get his autograph and show it off! I wonder if he has a girlfriend…"

Sawyer couldn't help it; he snorted at that one. As soon as he did, he heard a chuckle from next to him. "You seem amused, young man."

"Huh? Oh, well, I guess I kind of am," Sawyer responded with a smile. He turned to face the man, who was lightly sipping on a cup of coffee. Barely taking in the man's features except for his long coat, messy black hair and brown eyes, he decided to respond to the man. "I know the people involved in the Nova Incident and…well, Ash does have a girlfriend. He's dating Serena."

"Ha, that is funny…though a little disappointing for any girl who's developed a crush on him," the man barked out. His gaze went over to the TV before going back to Sawyer. "She seems like a nice girl, too. Must give her all sorts of problems to date a boy who seems to be involved in every crisis that comes this world's way."

"Really? I think she's used to it," Sawyer answered with a shrug. The man emulated the shrug before finishing his coffee. Then he stood.

"Well, he certainly seems to be becoming the favorite at the League despite it not even starting," the man responded. "Who knows? Maybe he'll win it all this time. That would be rather interesting. How is it you know him by the way?"

"Ash? Oh…he's my rival," Sawyer answered before inhaling a little, "and someone I admire very much. That's why I'm not surprised that he…" Sawyer thought back a moment to their last encounter in Snowbelle City, but then quickly shook his head. "Well, Ash may be the favorite, but I'm not going to let him win the League so easy."

"That's the spirit!" the man said, clapping Sawyer on the shoulder as he began to exit the café. "I look forward to a strong battle between you and Ash, Sawyer."

"Count on it," Sawyer said, patting his notebook with a grin. "Wait-what?"

Sawyer looked up, but noticed that the man was gone, only the clanging bell of the café indicating that he had been there. Scratching his green hair lightly, Sawyer returned to his tea. As the cup raised to his lips, though, he smiled.

 _Good_ , he thought.  _I'm glad you're back. I'm glad you've caught up, Ash._

* * *

"Th-the Honor of Kalos, sir? !" Diantha's voice filled almost the entirety of the empty Pokémon Center. She almost had to sit down at just what the president had said to her. Over the phone, President Goodshow laughed jubilantly.

"Nothing official, yet. Nothing official!" he remarked with another chuckle.

"But still, President…that is a  _very_  high honor. And you're thinking of bestowing it on Ash?" Diantha asked. She couldn't help herself from shaking her head with disbelief. It was all too rare for someone to be handed the Honor of Kalos, much less have that person be a child.  _No_ , Diantha reminded herself,  _none of them are children._

"Well, he certainly saved our hides, did he not?" Goodshow said pointedly. "I mean, if anyone's deserving…"

"Oh, I'm not questioning your judgment, sir. Just…surprised is all," Diantha quickly clarified. "I think he'd be most surprised if that were to happen. We'd have to get through the League first, of course. I've heard rumors that Ash is becoming the favorite."

"So have I. Flint won't stop talking about him," the president confirmed for her. "Unless Cynthia intervenes, I think it's all he's ever talked about since recovering. Although, the other twenty-five percent of the time that she doesn't she's almost as certain as he is that Ash Ketchum will somehow manage to win the Lumiose Conference."

"And you're sure you won't be able to make it this year?"

"With all this Team Neo mess, probably not, ha ha…" Goodshow laughed out once more. "I am bolstering security, though. I've asked Malva to attend the League in her role as newscaster. You'll be there as well, yes?"

"Gardevoir and myself should be fully recovered by then, so yes. And if Ash does win, I'd like to see it firsthand," Diantha confirmed with a soft smile. "Now, about that press conference-"

"Ah, yes, was that presumptive? I understand if you're not ready for that yet."

"No, it's not an issue. I think the people need to hear that Nova Town is already back on its feet, despite the short amount of time," the Champion said sternly. Goodshow was nodding, but Diantha's thoughts were already moving elsewhere, to a thought that had been consuming her mind ever since Ash had recovered and filled her in about what had happened atop the Mark Omega. "President, sir, I'd like to call another meeting, perhaps less advertised, for after the Lumiose Conference is finished."

"Oh? Might I ask why, Diantha? It's so unlike you to have any sort of time in your busy schedule to ask for that sort of thing," Goodshow said, his bushy eyebrows raising upward.

"I think some changes need to be made, sir," Diantha told him sternly. "Team Neo may have been rather villainous, but, Dalton brought up some good points. Their successful attack on the Summit was proof of that. I'd like to call us all together again to work out a strategy for protecting trainers on the road; prevent any catastrophes like Ancien and Nova in the future."

"And the upcoming Kalos Crisis?"

"Well, I'm quite sure that we have someone we can rely on for that, don't we?" Diantha said, smirking just a little. Goodshow seemed to like the idea because he began guffawing to the point that Diantha could almost see his belly jiggle a little. "Now, on the note of speaking to the prisoner before transfer? Alpha Squad has already been sent off, but we've been waiting for the last to recover before…"

"Yes, of course. Ask what you must, Diantha."

"Thank you, sir," the Champion said with a nod. That was the end of the conversation, the phone cutting off and Goodshow's face disappearing. Diantha then stepped away, breathing in a little as she left from the Center.

When the sun hit her eyes, Diantha squinted, but quickly took out her sunglasses. Peering down the road, she could see numerous citizens setting up large tables and chairs in the marketplace, presumably for some sort of Festival that night. The sight of it reminded Diantha of the events there a few days ago, and the departure of Alpha Squad not twenty-four hours prior. For a moment, she easily lost herself in the memory.

_"You're not going to stick around?" the girl, Bethany, had asked the morning before as a League helicopter sat waiting for Alpha Squad to board. "Theta, I…"_

_"You've grown strong, Beth. But this is where our roads diverge," Theta spoke, smiling softly. "When we meet again, I pray it's as equals."_

_"Yes. Take care, Beth. Grow strong. When we've paid our penance…"_

_"We'll look forward to your return," Christopher said. Diantha watched as he and his girlfriend stepped forward to say farewell to the two. Diantha, for her part, turned to Tau. He looked at her and nodded. The Champion pursed her lips; she had to admit to being surprised at the leadership of Team Neo giving themselves up so easily, but considering the multiple missing Beta Squad members, and their usual attitude, she supposed it made sense. It wasn't like they were career criminals, after all; they_ had  _been the owners of a radio station and respectable people before everything started._

_"You don't wish to be here for the funeral then?" she finally asked of Alpha Squad's leader. "After your actions, you accept punishment, but there's no reason to not say goodbye."_

_"No, we have no desire to say goodbye. Each of us were prepared, and Dalton even more so. We said our goodbyes. Seeing his burial…it would feel too much like an ending," Tau responded. Diantha nodded in understanding. Theta and Chi were finally being led on by League officials and Tau made to follow. As he stepped onto the helicopter, he turned back. "By the way, Champion, I thought you should know: Dalton found something…something ancient he was looking for. I don't know what it was, or what he did with it, but he claimed it was some sort of 'weapon'. I know little else. If he shared it with anyone, however, I'd imagine he shared it with Travis, or whatever was left of the Delta Squad. I believe he was trying to make the boy into some sort of successor…for all the good it did."_

And with those cryptic words, Tau had disappeared onto the airship. It worried her, even to this moment, as she was jerked out of the reverie by the blazing sun. Sure, she could have gone to visit them in prison; no doubt their penance would prompt them to answer. However, it was a far more immediate matter to her, and she reminded herself of that fact and task.

Sparing a final glance to the reconstructed marketplace and shrugging to herself, Diantha turned away and continued down the road for the small building that was the police station. When she walked inside, she noted Officer Jenny, having returned from her training, sitting at her desk. The policewoman instantly stood to salute her, but Diantha waved her down.

"Is he down below?" Diantha asked.

"Yes, he is. He hasn't said a word since, though," Jenny said with a skeptical expression.

"That's all right. He may talk to me alone," Diantha explained to her. The officer nodded, and returned to her desk. With that, Diantha swept forward onto the stairs that led downward and brought her before a set of two cells. She stopped outside of the furthest one and peered inside. Laying on the cot there, looking up at the ceiling was the boy they called Travis, his hands and legs bound by shackles. He appeared to hear her arrival because he turned his head and sat up, illuminating his body in sunlight through the small window. Framed by the light, Diantha could see the massive gash that split half his twisted face.

"Well, if it isn't the Useless Champion," Travis snickered out. "I'm surprised you're still here. Don't you have some busy schedule, being an actress and all?"

"I'm staying for the funeral," Diantha answered. Travis grimaced at the information. "You understand why I can't let you out to attend it."

"Like I care. Dalton was some old fool who didn't understand that the point of living is looking out for yourself," Travis spat venomously. This caused Diantha to shake her head. Ash had been absolutely right; the boy was resistant to change. He didn't seem to understand the ideal that Dalton embodied, no matter the wrongness of his methods.

"Do you feel even a shred of remorse?" Diantha couldn't help but ask. "Do you even feel pain at hurting your friends? You realize you'll never see your friend Seamus again."

"Friend…yeah, right," Travis scoffed. "Remorse would be wasted. I don't feel anything for them or him, especially since it's obvious he wants nothing to do with me. He made sure to see to that." At this, Travis pointed to the gash as best he could, even feeling the one along his chest. "If you're not here to let me out, why are you here?"

"Tau mentioned something to me before we sent Alpha Squad away," Diantha began. "He said Dalton was looking for something…something ancient. Apparently he only told members of Delta Squad what it was that he was looking for and that he found it, and as you're the only surviving member…"

"You  _need_  me?" The look of glee on Travis' face was sickening.

"You're not getting any deals. Not between this and Ancien. I just want to know whether Dalton found it: the weapon."

Silence followed and after a moment, Travis leaned back with his manacled hands behind his head, the grin still present. "He did."

"Where is it, then?"

"No idea," came the uninterested answer. "He didn't tell anyone else. Took the secret to his grave. Apparently he was convinced to not tell anyone."

"By who?" Diantha asked, intrigued, but still stern.

"Like I know!" snapped Travis. "Some sort of artifact hunter…or something…called himself a 'PokéArtifact Master' or a member of something called Arc or something. That's what I was told. Dalton met a lot of people. He was a people person that way, getting information or whatever. The guy told Dalton not to use the thing…stupid idiot."

Diantha's brow creased in thought. All of this was rather interesting information, but the most important fact seemed to be that the weapon remained hidden. Whatever it was, it was certainly safe for now. That was enough to make Diantha turn away.

"Hey, don't I even get a phone call?" Travis hollered at her, but she ignored him. "You know, I have some juicy tips from the criminal underworld! I can use that to get out of here."

"Not interested, Travis," she said coldly, taking another step forward. "Enjoy prison. Behave well and they might free one part of your body."

"You know there's a crisis coming, right?" his voice rang out, and here was where Diantha's footsteps stopped. She turned back to him and saw his head partway through the bars, leering at her as his chains clanked. "A catastrophe is coming to Kalos real soon. I wonder how many people will die. Do you really think Ash Ketchum can save all of them? Do you really think  _he's_  your best chance?"

Diantha smirked and took just a few steps forward. Three days ago, she would have had uncertainty. Now, however, she could face Travis confidently to watch the smirk drop off his face and be replaced with revulsion as she answered, "He is."

* * *

"Gah! Hey, that hurts, Emboar!" Seamus' voice pierced the room and Serena jerked awake from her sleeping position against the wall. Shaking her head a little, she noticed that she had started drooling and she wiped it off. "Come on! Cut it out or I'll return you to your pokeballs!"

"Boar! Emboar!"

"Come on, Seamus, they're just happy to see you up again," rang out Ash's voice. That seemed to return Serena to her full senses, realizing that her boyfriend was right next to her. Regaining her bearings in the room, Serena looked up to see that Seamus had stood up from where he had been relegated to bedrest the last three days. He still had bandages on his torso, but he was no longer wincing as he moved. That was a plus. Of course, it was always possible for him to be sent straight back to the hospital with the way his Pokémon were manhandling him.

"Easy for you to say! You're not being crushed by a giant Emboar!" Seamus snapped back jokingly. Emboar appeared to nuzzle him even further. "Yeah, I get it buddy. I missed you, too. How are you even up, anyway?"

"Because Ash seems to have magical healing powers that the rest of us couldn't possibly possess," Serena said aloud, drawing the attention back to her. Ash stood from his chair, looking apologetic. Seamus appeared to nod at that, as though it made perfect sense. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore, but good," Seamus chuckled out, though the smile faded away. "Have they…"

"Not yet," Ash was the first to answer. "I think they wanted to wait for you."

"It's too bad Tau and the others couldn't be there, but…" Serena began, letting the thought hang in the air. Alpha Squad was still a group of criminals. Honorable criminals, for certain, just as Dalton was; but criminals nonetheless. Seamus frowned a little, leaning over to his nightstand to grab his pokeballs and return his Pokémon to them. Then he stretched a little.

"Well, no more waiting then," he said, walking forward. Ash appeared a little surprised by the statement, because he nearly tripped on the chair he had been sitting on. Serena just held his arm and he smiled at her. "Time to bury the past."

"Seamus…is this…can you…?" Serena wasn't entirely sure what she was asking, but Seamus seemed to, because he looked back at her with a smile.

"I need to. For me," he said simply. Then he led all of them out of the room. Ash was next to follow and Serena took up the rear, closing the door behind them. As they continued along, Serena watched Seamus' back, and the resolute stance held within it. It had only been three days. Three days since the battle with Team Neo. Three days since Greninja had gone back underwater and pulled Dalton's limp body out.

Now, they would finally lay it to rest.

It hadn't been easy, those last three days. Even after Ash and Pikachu had been patched up, there was still the emotional damage that had been wrought. He certainly seemed to have come out of it just fine, judging by the determination in his steps, but Serena knew from when Ash had told everyone what had happened on the Mark Omega, that part of it upset him. If she was honest, the whole thing upset her, too. Dalton had gone to such extreme lengths to change the world to protect the ones he loved. Even now, the finality of his death settled like a stone in her stomach. She had never truly dealt with death before, at least not in this sense. But Dalton dying so that Seamus could live struck a chord of finality within her. Serena felt for him, and all the turmoil he must have been enduring from that singular moment.

Her foot hit the bottom step and stopped. She peered into the living room where everyone appeared to be seated, even Diantha. The only one moving was Pikachu, who leapt onto Ash's shoulder. Otherwise, every single one of "The Nova Nine", as the media was calling them, was staring at Seamus, even his own mother. Silence followed and Seamus bowed his head.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Dalton was a past of mine that you guys should have never had the burden of bearing. I should have done more to stop him but-"

"Stop." Seamus' head snapped back up at Christopher's curt command. "We chose to fight on our own."

"We're your friends, Seamus," Rocky pointed out. "Sure, we get annoyed with you when you don't tell us things, or act all smug and superior, but we've stuck by you for how long now?"

"And you weren't the only one with a personal connection, genius," Bethany pointed out, a wan smile on her face. It reminded Serena that Seamus wasn't the only one affected by that battle. They all were. "Let's not forget, we all were fighting against Travis. You were never in this alone."

"You're right. Sorry." Serena smiled a little, glad that no one was angry or causing problems. Seamus sighed loudly. "I promise: no more secrets. Not that I have any left to hide."

"Great!" Ash exclaimed, throwing his arm around the blond. "No need to worry, we're all friends here. And there's no need to apologize either."

"Right," Seamus chuckled out. He then grew solemn again, looking at everyone in the room, who stared straight back at him. Serena could feel the question on his tongue; the one that he really wanted to ask. She could even hear the sound of him swallowing loudly. "Can I…I'd like for all of you to help me…bury Dalton. I know I have no right but-"

"We will," came Astrid's firm answer. Serena was surprised that it came from her first, the one who probably had the least connections to the man as possible. That may have been all the encouragement that he needed. Elaine stood and walked over to her son before embracing him in a hug.

"I'm glad you're okay, now," she said tenderly. Seamus gripped his mother's shirt and hugged her back.

"Not yet. This is the last thing I need to do." Seamus finished the hug, drawing away from his mother, who smiled at him before taking his hand and leading him out of the house. Serena finished her descent, watching him go with his mother, looking like he was that same child from before Dalton…before Merle…before Travis…before  _everything_. The same child that was in the pictures on the wall. He had gone back to zero, and was heading towards something greater.

Smiling to herself, Serena stepped forward, feeling Ash's hand slip into her own as they walked out of the house. Judging from the shuffling of footsteps, Serena could hear all of the others following behind, onto the stone streets of Nova Town. Hand in hand, the couple followed after the family that was making its way to the big house a little down the way. The sun was setting, and in the marketplace, Serena could see everything set up for the Firelight Ceremony that would take place just slightly later that evening.

Before long, her feet stepped on the dead grass and broken walkway to what was once Dalton's house. Elaine and Seamus were already on the porch and entering into the house. It felt odd to Serena; no longer was it tinged with this air of sadness. Now, it was just empty as she walked through it with Ash, even if his attentions were pulled to looking at its decorations. The procession didn't stop until they'd reached the sprawling backyard, numerous battlefields present. However, at the far end were two open graves, a body lying next to one of them, wrapped in a bag. That was where they finally came to a halt, and Seamus let go of his mother's hand. He stepped forward, kneeling at the graves.

"Dalton…" he said quietly, barely more than a whisper on the wind. "You were…you were my teacher…no, more than that…you were my father. To me, at least. At one point, you were the world…and I couldn't be more grateful."

Serena felt Ash grip her hand tighter, and the honey blonde couldn't help but lower her head a bit. She could say nothing. Do nothing. This all felt so real; so permanent. Even if she had never met Dalton personally, every bit of the pain that Seamus (and Elaine) was feeling was etched in their faces, seared in their voices. This time, death felt far more real. More real than when Pikachu had turned to stone. More real than seeing Aster's death in Zinnia's memories. It almost broke her heart, but she held it together.

"I loved you…but I hated you! I hated you for what you did," he cried out, and Serena was almost certain that she saw tears on Seamus' face. "I hated you for what you made me. I hated you for turning your back on…But the least I could do, was offer you a proper burial. What you did…it wasn't wasted. All those hopes you put into Merry, and Travis…I'll keep them living on in me. I'll help make things better, make myself better. So, you can rest in peace.

"And Merry…I know you're buried somewhere out at sea in Hoenn," he continued, "but I think you should be buried here, with your father…near me…I hope that's okay. I loved both of you so much…so…leave everything else to me." With those words, he grew silent, kneeling before the two graves while the wind blew through and the setting sun cast a fiery glow over all of them. Ash's hand separated from hers and he walked forward to put a hand on their friend's shoulder.

Seamus nodded as no words needed to be spared. He stood, and with a small effort, pushed Dalton's body into one of the open graves. Then he grabbed a nearby shovel and began to manually cover the body in dirt, piece by piece. On the other side, Drilbur was tossing the dirt into Merle's grave and Serena watched, and kept watching until she saw a shadow at the edge of the yard. Peering through the sunset, she noticed the form of Zoroark and a sad smile washed over her face. One by one, everyone in the yard moved forward to take the shovel from Seamus, and put a bit of dirt in the grave, even a rather despondent Bonnie. It was a show of respect for someone who had deserved it. Seamus was the one who finished the burial, and he stood.

"Thank you…" Those words appeared to be as the conclusion, because everyone else began to turn away, even Elaine. They were all leaving him to his thoughts, alone with two of the people that had shaped his life. Only Seamus stood there, Ash and Serena behind him as the sun sunk lower over the graves. It took a moment for Seamus to finally look up and notice Zoroark watching the graves. Adopting a small smile, Seamus stepped forward towards the fox. She recoiled a little bit, but hesitated when Seamus knelt down to her. "I know what it feels like to lose him."

"Grah?" Zoroark growled out, tilting her head sadly. Seamus now reached forward and tenderly grabbed her claw.

"I can only imagine what you felt like, losing Merry like you did back then," he said quietly. "Maybe, we can both heal and change together. Would you want to do that with me?"

Serena watched the pair stand there silently. It took a long while before Zoroark finally nodded, allowing Seamus forward to embrace her. They were moving forward together. Hope wasn't gone. Serena looked at Ash and he smiled a little before whispering the truest thing ever spoken.

"They're free."

* * *

After the funeral had finished, Ash returned with Serena to Seamus' house, leaving the blond behind with Zoroark. Though he didn't say anything, Serena seemed to understand that something was on his mind and didn't ask. Not that it stopped him from looking over at her perhaps a bit more than was necessary. In the glow of the still setting sun, she looked quite pretty. Not that she didn't always look pretty, Ash realized, but her soft smile really accented it. He was glad to be able to see her again. Being separated from her (and the others, of course) had been far more difficult than he ever thought it would be.

That wasn't what was on his mind, though. He couldn't stop thinking about Dalton. About his reasons, about his goal, and about his final words of entrusting the future to him. That seemed like a lot to put on one person. In some way, Ash wondered if he'd ever be able to live up to these expectations that Dalton had suddenly created for him. Not that he needed to, he knew that, but still…

"You  _can_  talk to me, Ash," Serena finally said, her hand on the door to the girls' room. "Whenever you want to."

"I know. Thanks," he said with a grin. Serena leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek and then retreated inside, presumably to change for the Firelight Ceremony. Obviously, they would be attending together. With Serena inside, he continued down the hall and entered into another room where Clemont was tinkering away absentmindedly. He didn't look up when Ash entered and flopped onto his sleeping bag.

"It was a nice funeral…" Clemont spoke into the silence a moment later. Ash sat up, propped on his elbows as he looked at his friend. Pikachu was curled up on a pillow, clearly wanting a nap. Clemont was fiddling with a screw on one of his monitors, but it seemed like he was just twisting it back and forth. "I'm worried about Bonnie. She's never…she's never really had to deal with something like that. Even I haven't…"

"Bonnie will be fine. Serena will help her," Ash told him kindly, smiling as he did so.

"It's funny how you and Pikachu seem so calm about all this." Ash's smile turned to a frown and he stared up at the ceiling with a sigh on his lips. He guessed that it looked that way, being so calm about it all, but deep inside, he was still worried.

"I've just…I've been through a lot," Ash answered simply. "I've died before, you know?"

"You have?" Ash nodded. He could still remember scrabbling for life, crying out that he loved his Pokémon. He could still remember their tears.

"Yeah, maybe that's why I'm okay with all this," he told the inventor, who was now looking straight at him. "Dalton made a choice, right? Just like Zinnia did, I guess…"

Clemont didn't say anything, but he did put his stuff down and shifted along the floor to stare right at Ash. "Do you think the world needs to change, Ash? Do you think it's too dangerous for trainers like us?"

"I don't know," Ash answered honestly, rubbing the back of his head. "I've never thought about it. I always just try to move forward. If you keep moving forward, you figure things out eventually…huh…"

"What?"

"Nothing. I think I just figured out my own problems," he told the inventor, reaching over and patting him on the back. Clemont looked a little confused, but managed to shrug it off. That didn't matter to Ash; he had figured out all he needed to. Dalton had said he would be entrusting the future to him, but he only did that because he believed that Ash would be…well, himself. All those villainous organizations and people like Hunter J that he had a hand in defeating had only been defeated because he kept moving forward. It wasn't like he sought them out. All he needed to do was keep going like always, and everything was bound to work out eventually. "All right, Clemont! Let's get ready for the Firelight Ceremony!"

"Oh, already? Um…uh…you can go on ahead. I-I'll catch up!" Clemont stuttered out. Ash tilted his head and looked at him in confusion while Pikachu appeared to wake up behind him.

"But I thought we were all going together: you, me, Serena, Bonnie, Astrid and Korrina." Clemont seemed to suddenly freeze, and Ash could have sworn he looked nervous. "What's wrong?"

"N-n-nothing! Why would anything be wrong?" Clemont jabbered out. Now, even Ash was getting suspicious. Clemont never acted this way…except for when Bonnie was looking for "keepers". A soft knock sounded out on the door and Serena pushed in to the sight of the two of them.

"We're almost ready to go," she said quietly, but with a smile.

"Something's wrong with Clemont," Ash pointed out. "I talked about the Firelight Ceremony and he started acting weird. Do you know why?"

"Pika…" Pikachu called out in exasperation. Serena's eyebrows rose up and then she giggled, stepping into the room and placing a hand on his shoulder. It was nice and comforting.

"Oh, Ash, Clemont's nervous about going on a date with Korrina," she told him.

"Korrina? !"

"It's not a date!" Clemont insisted. "She just kissed me on the cheek. It was less than five seconds. Hardly quantifiable as any sign of affection, much less to justify the two of us going to the Firelight Ceremony as a date! That's completely unscientific and-"

"Clemont."

"Yes?"

"It's a date," Serena finished sharply before pointing at the open door. "Now go meet up with Bonnie. If you don't, I'm pretty sure she'll find a journalist to announce that her brother has officially found a keeper."

"No! Bonnie!" Clemont was out of the room faster than Ash had ever seen him move. It was really quite stunning, though no more stunning than the sight of his mouth still hanging open. Clemont and Korrina? When had this happened? Why hadn't anyone told him anything? More importantly, how come he hadn't figured it out? Serena gave another giggle next to him.

"Come on, Ash, let's go. We promised to meet Bethany and Christopher there, remember?"

"Huh…what? Yeah, okay. Pikachu," Ash said in a daze, still reeling from this news. Pikachu finished shaking his head and jumped up onto Ash's shoulder. Once he was nestled nicely, Ash took Serena's hand and allowed her to lead him forward. It was only when they reached the bottom of the stairs that he started to become aware of his surroundings again. Bonnie and Clemont appeared to be in the living room, doing something or other. Ash wasn't sure, mostly because he realized that Serena had changed clothing. Now she was wearing a slightly darker pink sundress that reached to her knees, and she was even wearing sandals. "Uh…you look really nice."

"Thanks. You look the same," Serena laughed out as they exited from the house.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not really," she answered, letting the two slip into a comfortable hush. Ash continued gripping her hand as they began to walk down the street towards the marketplace that looked quite nicely set up. It was amazing how much Nova Town had gotten back on its feet in just a few short days. Then again, with how resilient its residents were, he really shouldn't have been surprised. "I hope there aren't any reporters there."

"Oh, yeah…me, too," Ash confirmed, bemoaning the thought that Serena was expressing. It had been bad enough to be hailed as the "Hero of the Ancien Debacle", but to now be sought after regarding this whole thing…it was a bit too much. Plus, he wasn't entirely sure how Serena would feel about everyone suddenly finding out they were dating when even their own mothers didn't know. The thought was excruciating.

Finally stepping into the marketplace, Ash could see that it was filled with people. A long table was set up near the Gate of Wind, spread with all manner of food like some sort of buffet or potluck, and people were already near it, grabbing food. Korrina seemed to be there already as well, though she was dressed in the same manner as usual. Ash still didn't understand how she and Clemont were supposedly going on a date. Then again, his and Serena's dates usually consisted of staring up at the stars, so what did he know.

"Hey, you guys!" yelled Astrid from a table near the center by the fountain. Serena waved at her and began leading the both of them over. As they drew close, Ash noticed that the fountain was back to pouring water, a far cry from how it was a few days ago. Stones were still kicked up around the marketplace, but any place deemed unsafe to walk over had been cordoned off. Stepping over a broken patch of stones himself, Ash and Serena finally approached the bench where Astrid was and sat down. The first thing he noticed was the paper she was holding.

"They're  _still_  reporting on us?" Ash asked. "You think they'd get sick of it after a day or two…"

"Clearly you don't understand how the media works," Astrid chuckled out, flipping the paper to check the front page. Ash pouted at that.

"I do…just not enough to check it daily," he protested. Astrid just waved it off, folding the paper up again.

"Well, that wasn't what I was looking at, anyway," Astrid commented, flipping the paper around to show him. "Looks like construction is almost complete on the stadium in Lumiose City. Can't wait. I plan to win the Lumiose Conference."

"You're competing, too? !" Ash said. He felt excitement flood through him. One of his fellow competitors was right in front of him. There was something special about knowing those you'd be fighting against. Astrid offered a smile at him. "Awesome! I hope we get the chance to face off, but I'll be the one winning this time."

"Looks like we'll have to see. Your Hawlucha's certainly grown stronger," she commented. Serena watched the two for a moment with her head on her hand. In that moment, Ash felt really grateful to have a girlfriend that understood when battling became the priority; not that he would start a battle at the Firelight Ceremony.

"Great, then we'll have a battle at the Lumiose Conference," he said, reaching his hand out. She quickly shook it, the promise between the two made. As soon as their hands separated, Ash's stomach gurgled, leading both of the girls to laugh. "Guess I'm pretty hungry…"

"Let's get some food then!" Serena laughed out a little more, standing up from the bench. Astrid remained sitting, her attention back on her newspaper to read an article about some forest whose trees seemed to multiply overnight, from what Ash could read. The raven-haired trainer just shrugged it off and decided to focus on his food. He  _was_  pretty hungry. Waiting by Seamus' bedside for him to recover, only taking breaks for breakfast, lunch and dinner would do that. He was pretty sure he had skipped lunch today, too…

"Already going for the food?" Ash blinked and turned to the two that had joined the couple. Bethany and Christopher had their arms linked, keeping pace with the both of them. "Not that I'm one to judge. Today's been pretty rough."

"I think it's the first time Beth ever skipped a meal," Christopher pointed out. Bethany just slapped her boyfriend on the shoulder.

"Anyway, you guys are setting off tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah," Ash responded. "Now that Seamus is back on his feet, we've gotta get going. We need to get to Lumiose City before the Kalos League begins!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu chimed in with a triumphant fist. Bethany's eyebrows raised upward, and she looked like she was ready to say something, but they had arrived at the food table and everything else became lost to Ash if it didn't involve loading his plate. "Pika…"

"I know, it all looks great!" Ash exclaimed jubilantly. Yes, everything was right with the world in front of him. Even noticing the airship sticking out of the lake, Ash didn't care. Death, life, change, past, present, future…none of it meant anything. All that mattered was good food, good friends, and good times. Knowing that, Ash didn't even wait for Serena in order to begin shoveling food onto his plate. From hamburgers to salad to some potatoes and even some more local delicacies. By the time he was done (well before everyone else), he was pretty sure that his and Pikachu's plates weighed heavier than the both of them combined together. Serena, Bethany and Christopher's plates were far tamer.

"Talk about full…" Bethany commented.

"Of course! If you've got a full stomach, you can do anything. Right, buddy?"

"Pi!" Pikachu concurred and the four of them returned to the table where Astrid had last been sitting, though she was now gone, replaced by Rocky. Ash didn't think too much on it, wanting nothing more to just sit down and eat. That was exactly what he did.

"So, what exactly happens at the Firelight Ceremony?" Serena was suddenly asking, once Ash was onto his second hamburger. This question actually did interest him, and he turned to their fellow couple. Bethany leaned back on her bench.

"Just a folk festival, really," she told them. Rocky appeared disinterested, focusing on a large plate of pasta. Ash did note Rhyperior lounging in the distance, and had an idea to let his Pokémon out, but figured it would be best to wait for the tables to be cleared. There were way too many people milling around, meeting and greeting each other, for him to do so now. "We all gather in the marketplace, have a good meal as a town to symbolize unity or something. Once the moon is fully in the sky, all the Volbeat and Illumise that live in the area take flight on some sort of mating season or something. That's when most couples in the town tend to dance. It's a pretty sight."

"Sounds beautiful…" Serena sighed out and Ash rubbed his nose a little. He had a pretty good idea of what Serena would want to do once the tables were cleared away. Thankfully, he had something else to focus on with the arrival of Clemont and Bonnie. Korrina, who had disappeared earlier, also seemed to be skating right for them. "Ooh, this should be interesting."

"What? With Clemont?" Christopher asked.

"I still don't get it…" Ash noted. This once more elicited a giggle from Serena, who put a hand gingerly on his shoulder.

"Oh, Ash. You figured out you're in love with me, but you couldn't see Clemont and Korrina happening?" she asked. Ash chose to not respond. He wasn't good with spotting relationships, and that was fine with him. The only relationship that mattered was the one with the person sitting right next to him. Well, her and his Pokémon. Still, he decided to watch as the group of three walked right on over to their table.

"Bonnie, stop it already!" was the first thing he heard from Clemont as they got closer.

"I'm just giving you tips, big brother," Bonnie told him with her own little shrug. "You know, maybe you should just watch Ash and Serena for tips. They had a pretty good first date."

"Maybe you should remember that  _you_  interrupted their first date!" Clemont scolded his sister. Bonnie just stuck her tongue out at him while Korrina laughed gaily, almost doubling over.

"You guys should totally do some kind of sibling comedy routine!" she laughed out. Clemont just looked purely exasperated.

"D-Don't encourage her, Korrina!"

"Why not? We are on some semblance of a date right? I mean, it's the only chance we'd get for a while," Korrina stated easily. Ash squinted in Clemont's direction, watching him for the visual cues. His friend suddenly stopped, his mouth hanging open. Ash could have smacked himself for not seeing it.

"Wait…y-y-y-you want to consider this a d-d-d-date?" Clemont asked. His prolonged stuttering allowed the chance for Chespin and Lucario, both of whom were clearly out and about, to come skittering back in with plates of food. Well, Chespin had the majority of plates, bandying them about with childish glee. Bonnie apparently caught sight of this and looked torn between going after Chespin and seeing what would happen between her brother and Korrina.

"Sure, why not?" Korrina said cheerfully. If Clemont's jaw could drop any further, it would certainly touch the ground. Ash looked to Serena, who was smiling and looked on the verge of laughter once again. "I mean, I kinda like you. Your sciencey stuff is pretty cool sometimes, and the way you took command when you were building that stuff was totally awesome. If we had time, I'd love to get together more often. No use beating around the bush, right? Unless you don't want to consider this a date…"

"N-no, I'm fine with it, it's just…I…Ash…" Clemont looked over in his direction and he could tell the inventor was pleading for help. Unfortunately, he had none to give. So, he went with what his gut was saying.

"Go for it, Clemont!" he said with a fist pump.

"B-but it's so unscientific…" Clemont bemoaned. "I'm not used to dealing with feelings."

"Love isn't science, Clemont," Serena reminded him. Both Clemont's and Korrina's eyes widened.

"I don't think we're ready for love!" Korrina emphasized. "But a date's a place to start. Just think of it as…uh…what's the word? Oh yeah, just think of it as an experiment, and you're testing a hypothesis."

Clemont blinked at this once more before he smiled. "That sounds smart. Okay, let's do it! Thankfully I've created an invent…"

Both of their voices faded away as they moved towards the food table, though Ash had to question why he'd seen Korrina out there before. Bonnie just sandwiched herself in between Ash and Serena with a resigned look on her face.

"He's hopeless…" she expressed, placing both Dedenne and Squishy on the table. Squishy just wriggled away and hopped back into her bag. Serena patted the little girl on the back.

"Well, at least now your search for a keeper can be over," she laughed out. Bonnie looked at her incredulously.

"No way! Until I hear a marriage proposal from one of them, likely Korrina, I still need to find someone that will take care of him!" Bonnie snapped at her indignantly. Ash couldn't help but laugh at that and he dug back into his food. It was nice to see Bonnie so happy; he had been worried that she'd be depressed after what happened. Biting into a potato on his plate, he noticed Rocky standing and moving aside as Astrid returned, nodding at him briefly before taking her seat. He then sat next to her once more.

"Where were you?" Ash asked, his mouth full of food. He noticed that she now had her own plate, but he hadn't seen her by the food table.

"There's another food table," the blonde pointed out, pointing to the opposite side. Ash turned his head and noticed that she was right. So much for being observant. "That and I ran into Diantha while she's doing meet and greets on her way over here. Speak of the…"

"Ash, Serena, all of you," Diantha's voice said. Ash turned around on the bench, swallowing his food to greet the Champion. "I'm glad to see you're all doing well. Where's that boy, Seamus? Has he not left the graves yet?"

"He's just taking his time, I'm sure," Ash said. "So, when are you setting off?"

"Sometime tonight. There's a lot to be done," Diantha confessed. "With the League approaching, I have to get back as soon as I can. It's certainly nice to let loose once in a while, but given the recovery process…"

"At least you get a night off, right?" Bethany asked, shoving a cookie in her mouth. Diantha nodded a little, conceding the point.

"Well, after all this, I'll have a slew of press conferences about League reform."

"League reform?" Serena asked with interest. "Do you mean…?"

"I believe that it's time for the League to make some changes," the Champion informed the table there. "It may take time, but I think that Dalton had some points, and I'd like to honor those. I can't say I fully disagree with him."

"Well, good luck, then," Ash said, standing up and holding his hand out. Diantha shook it firmly before turning away.

"In any case, I have to get back to the meet and greets here," she concluded, beginning to walk away now. "I look forward to seeing you both in the Lumiose Conference, Ash, Astrid." Then she was gone, mixing back into the crowd, only to be replaced by a laughing Korrina and a soot-covered Clemont. Ash chose not to comment, even if Bonnie shook her head in exasperation. The two took a seat and Ash sat back a little. Despite his still loaded plate, he was actually feeling a little full. The sky was growing darker and the marketplace was being lined by lanterns. It felt a little romantic but Ash was fine with that, turning around on the bench and taking in the people of Nova Town.

They were cheerful, especially given what had nearly happened to their town. All of them, from the elderly down to the children were all gamboling with joy around the area. Ash would smile at some of them as they passed by and at one point, a little boy and girl had run up to he and Serena asking for autographs. Not in the best place to decline, they obliged the kids who returned to their parents. As Ash watched them go, he thought he caught sight of a disguised Team Rocket…but then it could have just been another pair of magenta and blue-haired individuals. He was sure they'd show up sooner than later, anyway.

"You all look like you're enjoying yourselves." Ash looked upward now to see Elaine peering down on them with a smile. Ash emulated her, but couldn't find anything to say. "It's nice to see, given everything that's happened recently."

"Well, if you've got food, everything's a good time!" Ash insisted.

"That's Ash logic for you," Serena said. Ash looked at his girlfriend but she just smiled lovingly back at him.

"He's right," Christopher replied, but said no more. Elaine just sighed happily, waving the issue off as though it didn't matter.

"I'm sure it is," she finally responded. "Still, I'm grateful to all of you…Madeline can rest easily now. And Seamus…well, I think he'll finally be free of that past."

"And Travis," Rocky noted. That drew everyone's gazes to him. "What? The guy's in prison. I'm grateful, at the very least. Without you guys, he'd still be out there causing problems for just about everyone. Makes me happy to know he's behind bars."

"I think that's the best for everyone." Like a wave, everyone now shifted again, this time from Rocky to Seamus, who had arrived at the party with Zoroark at his side. Ash peered at the fox as Pikachu hopped onto his lap, looking with him. Zoroark grunted a little and nodded, as if acknowledging the two of them. Pikachu then leapt off of Ash's lap and ran to Zoroark, holding his paw out. Zoroark looked to Seamus who smiled, and the fox met the mouse's paw in a handshake. It was heartwarming, and a proper conclusion to their battle (even if Dalton's Medicham had last been seen slinking off to the forest despondently…or possibly aloofly). "I said my goodbyes to him on that airship. So, Travis can't hurt anyone now…thanks to you, Ash."

"I didn't do much of anything," Ash chuckled out, rubbing the back of his head. "But none of this heavy talk matters! Let's eat! Everyone, dig in!"

With Ash's words, Seamus smiled, the widest he ever had, and he took a seat at the bench with them. Elaine walked off, patting her son's back, going to meet with some other adults. None of that mattered to the kids. What followed was one of the biggest meals Ash had ever had the pleasure of partaking in. Random conversations led to challenges and promises. Korrina and Clemont shared some laughs and bonding while Chespin tried to steal from Lucario. Rocky and Astrid took to talking about one of the battles they'd fought together, and the blonde seemed rather interested when he began to recount the Kalos Team Tournament to her. Apparently, she had wanted to take part, but was too far away to do so.

Bonnie, meanwhile, talked with Ash and Seamus about their Pokémon, showing off her usual enthusiasm for such things. At the same time, Serena was conversing across the table with Bethany and Christopher, hearing about their first date or something while regaling them with tales of their own. It embarrassed Ash a little, but he took it all in stride. Eventually, the topic of conversation turned once more to the battle they had all fought together.

"So, they were never normal rocks, after all, but now they are?" Bethany asked with a sense of amusement. Clemont moved his glasses a little.

"That seems to be my estimation," he answered. Serena sat back, folding her arms in thought.

"You know, Rocky, you never did say what going through the Gate of Earth meant," she said. "You explained all of the other Gates but…"

"It stands for the resolute one," Seamus noted. "Those who go through the Gate of Earth are those with unyielding will and strength. Pure power, I took it as. Someone who staunchly stays the same, even if all the world changes around them. In a way, that kind of unflinching strength and no want for weakness was what led to our name: Team Brutal. That's the Gate I went through…so, coming home and trying to change…I hated it.

"But that's in the past now!" Seamus stated, snapping his fingers as he stood. "I've decided something…and…Beth, Chris, I know you were probably planning on traveling again, but, if you would…"

"What's up, Seamus?" Christopher asked, looking at him in interest.

"I've decided that I want to start a school," he proclaimed. Ash was a little surprised, but now that he thought on it, he realized how much sense it made. "Dalton was my teacher, and though he may have done things the wrong way, I still think there was some merit to what he taught. So, I want to open a school at his old house. I just need to clean it all up, and then I can accept students of all ages and levels of experience. I can teach them, and they can help to keep me in check. If you'd help me to do that-"

"Seamus, didn't we tell you?" Bethany questioned with a shake of her head. "We're in this together. Team Nova is…well, a team."

"Team Nova?" Astrid questioned, clearly a little confused by the naming. Bethany just grinned wildly at her.

"Catchy, isn't it?" she sounded out. "I don't think Team Brutal fits us anymore. So, why not name ourselves after something we all had in common, and I think it would really help to represent the journey we're all on together. So, of course we'll help you, Seamus."

"Thanks!" Seamus said, bowing a little towards each of them. When he stood back up to his full height, he really was smiling, his past no longer shackling him. Ash scratched at his chin when a commotion reached his ears, and he realized that tables near the edge of the marketplace were being cleared up. The true Firelight Ceremony was about to take place. Suddenly, Ash felt Serena's hand on his arm, pulling him up with her.

"Let's dance," she whispered breathlessly. Ash nodded before tossing all of his pokeballs out. All around him, the others did so as well, letting each of their friends stare at the night sky with them. Ash then put his hands into Serena's and decided to dance under the canopy of the night sky. It felt nice, even if he had to maintain every facet of his mind just to not step on Serena's feet; he still wasn't used to dancing. He was a sight better than Clemont and Korrina, though, who just looked odd. As he did so, Ash focused on her face; her eyes and her smile were gleaming, and he decided to say the things that were on his mind and needed to be said.

"Hey, I'm sorry, Serena…for sidelining you and all that," he said to her. "I'm just…this relationship still feels new to me, and I'm worried about things I'd never thought I'd worry about before, or at least, not the way I was before. And I'm worried I'm going to screw things up and not be the most perfect boyfriend imaginable, like you've probably dreamed about."

"Ash," Serena said sternly and the raven-haired boy looked into his girlfriend's soft eyes. "I'm new to this thing, too. Didn't I tell you that? I'm worried about screwing things up, too. Like, maybe I'll be too clingy, or  _too_  worried. But we promised to share everything, and maybe by us knowing what the other's worried about, we can be a better couple, don't you think?"

"I guess so…It's just…" Ash's face scrunched in contemplation. "I was really scared, heading into such a dangerous situation, about losing you. I don't like feeling like that, because I really love you and I don't want to lose you. To anything. To people like Team Neo, or an angry Beedrill, or even my screw-ups."

"You don't screw up at things like this, Ash," Serena reassured him. "This relationship, it's a two-way street. If we have a problem, we work it out together. If you're worried about losing me, then tell me, and I can prove to you that you won't lose me any time soon. That's what we agreed on, right? So, no more secrets. We have to move forward together, and change those parts of our relationship that need to be worked on, but we need to do it together."

"I like that idea," Ash said, pulling to a stop in their dancing. He laced her fingers in his, and the two leaned in for a kiss. At that moment, a nascent glow filled the area, shining upward and lighting up like the stars in the sky. But Ash and Serena didn't look, continuing to kiss until they needed air. Only then did they look up into the sky to see the Volbeat and Illumise take to the air in a dazzling array of lights. Ash let go of Serena's hand and wrapped it around her, pulling her close as they watched the little lights burn brighter than even the stars.

 _Eternal happiness, huh?_  he couldn't help but think to himself with a smile. The he looked to Serena, who rested her head on his shoulder.  _I've got that right here, together with her._

* * *

Serena awoke early the next morning, to the sight of Elaine in the kitchen, making a departure breakfast for all of them. Only Korrina seemed to have woken up earlier, and she was busy making a phone call to Gurkinn from the house phone. Serena tried to ignore the call, yawning over it, but Korrina spoke so loud and energetically that she couldn't help herself.

"I'll be back today. The League's lending me a helicopter, grandpa," she was saying excitedly. "I've got your keystone and the Scroll, too!"

"That's good, Korrina. You have a challenger waiting for you, too. He looks quite antsy. Says he's about to win his eighth badge, though I'm afraid he may wander off from the city if you're not back this morning."

"I'll try my best grandpa, so take care!" Korrina finished, and the conversation presumably ended. After that, Korrina returned to the kitchen, where Serena was, with an excited pumping of her fist. Shortly after, Elaine gave them their breakfast, and the girls dug in. It didn't take long for the boys and Bonnie to arrive after smelling it.

Breakfast proved to be a quiet affair, a number of them far too drowsy after the celebration last night. Serena regarded it fondly, however. And it was nice to do something different with Ash. Either way, that kind of lethargy spread through the group's final pack-up, but before long their group of six was out of the house and heading towards the marketplace. As they approached, Serena noticed that workers were hard at work on both the marketplace and Dalton's old house. Seamus really was serious about becoming a teacher and starting a school. Yawning a little, Serena and the rest passed into the marketplace where it looked like Bethany, Christopher and Rocky were sleeping against the fountain, almost like they'd never left there. They jerked awake upon their approach.

"Astrid's gone," Rocky yawned out. "Took off way early this morning. Said something about getting to Lumiose as quickly as possible."

"She only told you?" Serena asked teasingly. Rocky just glared playfully at her, drawing a laugh from her. It was no surprise that the three of them had somehow grown close from all their struggles together. After finishing his glare, Rocky came off of the fountain and walked over to the honey blonde before giving her a hug.

"Thanks," he whispered. "You fought Travis in Snowbelle after he…so, thanks."

"No problem. Just, no cowboy antics like you pulled leaving your friends, again. Okay?" He answered her with a clap on her back. Once he'd drawn back, Bethany stepped forward while Christopher walked over to talk with Ash and Clemont. Korrina appeared to be kneeling to Bonnie's level while Seamus stood there yawning loudly.

"Told you that you guys would work it out, yeah?" she said.

"You did. I took your advice and told him outright how I felt. Turns out, Ash really does need a more direct approach," Serena giggled out. Peering over at her boyfriend, she noticed him conversing happily with Christopher, the two fist-bumping. She was glad they had managed to come to an understanding. It made them feel more like equals in their relationship.

"Glad you guys did. You're cheering him on in the Kalos League, right?" Bethany asked, bringing her attention back to the turquoise-haired girl. Serena just nodded. "Great. We'll be cheering him on from here. He  _is_  the favorite, though. Probably won't need our cheers as much as he'll need yours."

"I'm sure Ash would love them all the same," Serena told her. Then they leaned in and hugged each other lightly before turning back to the rest of the group. Serena now noted that Korrina was talking with Clemont, both of them blushing lightly. Obviously, their date had gone well enough, if their expressions, light hug, and a kiss on the cheek were anything to go by. The sound of beating helicopter rotors sounded out, and the entire group looked up to see one of the League helicopters descending.

"Looks like this is my ride," Korrina told them all. Before saying any more, she quickly skated around for a round of handshakes. "Take care everyone! Clemont, call me when you get back to Lumiose. And Ash, I'll totally be rooting for you in the League. Do your best!"

"You know I will! Me and my Pokémon will win it all!"

"Pikachu pika!" Pikachu emulated his trainer with a fist out and all. With that, Korrina smirked a little and then skated towards the helicopter, jumping in happily. Once it was gone and silence filled the air, the four traveling partners turned to Seamus, who finally stepped forward.

"Thank you," he said simply. "For everything."

"What are friends for?" Ash asked, the biggest grin she'd ever seen on his face. Serena beamed at him, as well, and the smiles soon became contagious, to the point that even Seamus was sporting one, tears forming in his eyes.

"Yeah…my friends…" he whispered out. Unable to help herself, Serena stepped forward. She wasn't alone; the others had come with her, and in seconds, had wrapped their arms around him.

"You're never alone," Serena told him. "We'll always be here. Just remember that."

"Of course," he responded. "And we still need to finish our battle from before."

"Maybe another time," Ash laughed out, serving as the signal for them to separate and draw back. "We've gotta get going."

"To Lumiose City, right?" Seamus asked with a snap. "Go, then. Win it all!"

"I will. I promise!"

"But before we do, what's up with the snapping?" Serena asked. "You and Tau both did it a lot."

"We did?" Seamus asked, scratching his head in embarrassment. "It's something Dalton always did. It was a resolve to yourself. When you snapped your fingers, it showed you were in control of yourself and that you could make anything happen right away. I don't know why, but I just picked it up. I guess it's like a catchphrase, you know?"

"That makes sense," Ash admitted, and it seemed to close the conversation. With a final fist-bump to the four members of Team Nova, Ash finally led them in turning around, aiming right for an expanse of forest between the Gate of Earth and the Gate of Water. Serena found it odd that they weren't going through a Gate, but just accepted it as Ash walked right between, only for Seamus' voice to call back.

"You're not going through a Gate, Ash?" he yelled back. All four of them stopped, turning around to face their counterparts. "Come on, that's cheap! Which one would you choose?"

"Which one  _would_ you choose, Ash?" Bonnie asked. Ash adjusted his hat and then smirked over to them before yelling out his answer.

"I choose all of them!" With that, he tossed his fist into the air and began to walk away. Serena made sure to wave at the others before turning around with her boyfriend and emulating him. Bonnie and Clemont soon followed in actions.

"Yeah, all right! Now go and win! If you ever need any help, just remember, Team Nova is only a phone call away!"

"Gotcha!" Ash yelled as he walked on, and then soon they all vanished from view. It was only when they were back on the main road some distance from the town that Ash decided to speak again. "So, I was thinking, since we ran into some old friends, I have someone I want to visit. Hope you guys won't mind taking a detour on our way to Lumiose City."

"Come on, Ash! You should know us by now!" Bonnie said cheerily. "We're a family. If we go somewhere, we go there together!"

"Right," Ash confirmed with a nod.

"Bonnie does have a point," Clemont confirmed. To that, Serena skipped forward with her smile and twirled on the spot.

"Well then, let's go!" she exclaimed. Then she grabbed Ash's hand and began running along with him, side by side on the road together.

Taking that first step forward, she was flooded with memories of her journey. From her leaving home, to deciding to become a Performer, to that dawn on the Coumarine docks. Her life had changed so much on her journey, and she couldn't be happier. From the siblings she had within Clemont and Bonnie, to the relationship with Ash, she had grown, just like Seamus and the rest of the newly dubbed Team Nova had, and knowing that filled her with an indescribable joy. After all, she knew deep down that change was never easy, but for those who made an effort, for those who took a step every day towards a brighter future, it was worth every moment.

And she knew that meant the world to her and Ash as their journey together continued.

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Here we are, at the end again. Three months ago, when I was asked to write a sequel by a number of people, I never had any intentions of doing so. Then I came up with the idea, suggested to me by ChE clarinetist about visiting the Team Brutal members at their hometown after the initial story was over. I wasn't sure how I could do it, honestly. Then I realized how I could, by making the story very personal with them, and ultimately to Ash. But to do so, I needed to figure out one thing: what would happen with Ash and Serena's relationship? After all, I can't have no development on that part! Once I figured that out, the plot itself was easy. And now, we're here, my initial vision complete.
> 
> In any case, let's talk about this chapter. I wanted Sawyer at the beginning because of the Snowbelle arc, for him to know that the one he admires has bounced back and is better than ever. Then the scene with Diantha was meant to bring about another change to the Ancienverse. The irony, of course, is that in the end, Dalton succeeded: he may not have opened the time portal and changed history to make the League better, but by attacking them directly, he got Diantha and the rest of the League to rethink things and begin changing things, even if it won't be ready in time for the crisis that will inevitably hit Kalos.
> 
> Now, the cleanup stuff. The funeral and Zoroark was meant to be the final tie-off for Seamus' character arc, and the rest of Team Nova (as they are now called). He's cut his ties to the past and buried them, and is moving onwards. Everything else was just some other fun stuff that I got to do, including the references to the episodes that followed. Obviously, we have a resolution to the Ash and Serena plotline: they're still together, only now they understand that they really need to do this together. Trust each other, in other words. And so, that's how it ends.
> 
> And by the way, you can see some potential sequel sequel(?) hooks that I've placed in there depending on how the XYZ series ends. I have some ideas floating around and a slightly general vision, but nothing concrete. What I can do for you are two things. 1) Tell you that I have a Marissonshipping oneshot set in the Ancienverse planned, and yes, Amourshipping would be a part of it. 2) Give you some key terms for what I'm planning for the final story, in no particular order: Tipping Point, Family, League Reform, ARC, Weapon, Leadership, Sacrifice, Solidarity, Cry, and Love. Take from this what you will. Hell, lobby me with guesses and I may confirm some ideas.
> 
> Seriously, you guys! You're all amazing! When I started the sequel, I never imagined that it could have held interest the way the first one did, but you all proved me wrong to the nth degree! I love being a part of this fandom with you and sharing these plots that invade my brain, and your words just make it all worthwhile. I could go on about this, but I think that for now, I'll just settle for asking all of you to follow me, one last time. Oh, and don't forget to leave that last Review and, as always, my friends,
> 
> Dare to Be Silly,
> 
> Epicocity


End file.
